228 UNASKED ADVICE. 



good behind. The mare's heels became much more 

 open ; no man need desire a better hack on the road ; 

 and, oddly enough, she pulled through last season without 

 falling. This, of course, was not the shoeing; but it 

 shows that horses do not slip worse in Charlier than in 

 other shoes. No. 2 was a five-year-old, which looked very 

 much like going to the kennels at six. This animal 

 enjoyed incipient side bones and ossification of the car- 

 tilages, having a narrow brittle hoof. She might also 

 have reasonably backed herself to be the worst hack in 

 England. Being a good hunter, I gave her a chance, 

 and after a month's rest, with blistering of the coronets, I 

 shod her all round, and she did exercise until it was time 

 to hunt again. I did not know my own animal when I 

 rode her in the autumn. Her heels were springy ; she 

 had recovered her action, and left off a habit of boring on 

 the bit, which arose from her grogginess. This mare 

 continued sound. No. 3 was a flat-footed horse, with calf 

 knees, and legs that were always swelled. He never was 

 lame ; but when shod with these shoes his feet became 

 much stronger, and his legs never filled all last season 

 (69-70.) As we all know the connection between the 

 frog and flexor tendon, this is an interesting fact. I had 

 ridden the horse two seasons with round legs, and never 

 succeeded in getting them down. Both this horse and 

 No. 2 used to cut behind badly, but they have not done it 

 with the Charlier shoe ; which, indeed, has much less to 

 cut with less, in fact, to the extent of the thickness of 

 the ordinary shoe, as this one is sunk in the foot instead 

 of projecting beyond it. No. 4 had chronic laminitis. 

 He improved very much during the summer, when I sold 

 him into a comfortable home ; but his owner, a friend of 

 mine, put common shoes on him, and I should fancy he 



