356 ON THE ART OF SHOEING. 



fupport of iron. This pretended iron fupport 

 is much more deftructive to their feet, than 

 either their own weight, or the hard ground, 

 for inftead of encouraging the natural growth 

 of horn upon the foot, deftined to fuftain the 

 (hoe, it is daily abrading and wearing that ne- 

 ceflary fubftance away. The plea, that heavy 

 horfes require fuch ponderous (hoes, to fup- 

 port their weight, is totally unfounded and ab- 

 furd ; fince thofe horfes, as well as all others, 

 are never fo firmly fupported, or their feet fo 

 ftrong and found, as when running abroad with- 

 out (hoes ; and if it be urged, that in fuch cafe 

 they do not labour, the anfwer is as juft as it is 

 ready ; that during the feafon of labour and 

 carrying weight, a heavy covering, which weak- 

 ens and deftroys the feet, can never be a pro- 

 per fupport for the body. What would a por- 

 ter fay to the artift, who mould propofe to him 

 to pare away the hard fkin of his heels, and to 

 make amends for the lofs of natural fubftance, 

 by an additional thicknefs of (hoe ? 



I will however grant, becaufe I know it from 

 long experience, that almoft all horfes require 

 'a certain fubftance of (hoe fufftcient to preferve 

 their feet from the concuflion of the ground, 

 in exercife ; and for this any perfon may find 

 an analogy in his own feelings, when running 

 over hard ground with thin-foled (hoes ; but 

 this confideration by no means affects draft- 



horfes 



