120 THE HORSE AND HIS Rn)ER. 



remain in their proper position all the time he is in 

 a stable, but while crossing a level country the sole of 

 each foot when it presses the ground is parallel to its 

 surface. 



In ascendinfT a hill the front coo^, in descendino^ a hill 

 the two hind cogs, and in traversing a plain the three 

 cogs, of each shoe catch firm hold of the ground ; and 

 accordingly the horse, whether in ascent, descent, or on 

 level ground, works in so true a position, and is so 

 efficiently roughed, that out of deep snow he can, at 

 any gradient, gallop suddenly upon what is called " glare 

 ice," almost as hard as iron, without the slightest danger 

 to himself or his rider. 



Now, in England, generally speaking, horses are most 

 unscientifically roughed on their heels solely, which not 

 only at once, even in the stable, especially when the out- 

 side cogs are unequally turned up, throws the mechanism 

 of their feet and fetlocks out of gear — it not only forces 

 them while travelling on a dead level into a false position, 

 but, after all this maltreatment, the poor animal finds out 

 that he is very inefficiently roughed. 



For instance, in descending a hill, only the cog or 

 cogs of the heels of each foot, which can never be placed 

 parallel to the ground, take hold of it. In ascending, 

 his case is infinitely worse ; for, as it becomes necessary, 

 especially when he is drawing a very heavy load, that 



