1 20 Management and Treatment of the Horse. 



could study and pass an examination in the 

 anatomical structure of the horse, the foot in 

 particular. 



Such a class would go further towards a rational 

 mode of shoeing being adopted than all the 

 abusive works upon the groom and blacksmith 

 ever written. Teach the blacksmith and groom 

 first, then if they do wrong blame them, but do 

 not blame a man for his ignorance if you do not 

 try and teach him. It is easy to call a man 

 a fool, but, as daft Will Perkins, of Melton 

 Mowbray, once said, what God left out no man 

 can put in ; and depend upon it that those 

 writers who are ever ready to call all grooms and 

 smiths fools, only do so from being familiar with 



their own names As I have said, bad 



shoeing and bad management of the foot of the 

 horse lead to, and are the primary cause of, 

 many diseases, amongst which none are worse 

 than navicular joint disease ; and as my writings 

 are only meant as a sort of pilot to guide the 

 groom in his pursuit of knowledge under diflS.- 

 culties, I would here impress upon his mind that 

 although I from time to time give the symptoms 

 and treatment of different diseases, yet they are 

 only to enable him to become a good nurse, and 

 be the right hand of the practical veterinary 

 surgeon; for if the veterinary surgeon finds an 

 intelligent groom, he will most assuredly be able 

 to leave his medicine with confidence, and the 

 groom should always bear in mind that practice 

 makes perfection, — that however well versed a 

 groom may be, the veterinary surgeon has the 



