t t 



morning, and listened to occasionally during the drives. 

 The horse's shoes require changing on the average once 

 a month, but much depends upon the nature or kind 

 of work the horse is engaged upon. The heavy 

 waggon horse does not wear out his shoes so fast as the 

 hackney. Speed grinds shoes down much quicker than 

 steady draught. Many a horse has been lamed and 

 crippled by careless or indiscriminate shoeing, but where 

 the farrier is an acknowledged practical man, and known 

 to make a study of his business, his judgment should 

 not be subjected to dictation but appealed to in any 

 particular case, it will then secure his most careful at- 

 tention. Heavy shoes are not considered any advantage, 

 as they tire the horse. It is always very necessary to 

 exercise great care in pareing and rasping the feet, and 

 the less nails used (compatible with wear and tear) the 

 better. Roughing and sharpening should never be 

 deferred in frosty and slippery weather, rather keep the 

 horse at home than send him out not properly protected, 

 or, as it were, in a helpless condition. A good farrier 

 makes the anatomy and physiology of the horse's foot a 

 daily study. 



It is said that a coloured hoof wears better than a 

 white one, and that the hind hoof is smaller than the 

 fore, and more upright, and longer than it is wide. The 

 hind shoes are invariably worn out before the front ones. 



In ancient times shoeing with metal was not known, 

 therefore a hard strong hoof was considered one of the 

 best features or qualities of the horse. 



The Greeks and Romans were the first to attach a 

 kind of leather protection to the horse's foot, and 

 afterwards a few iron plates, and sometimes silver and 

 gold were used, as illustrated in the life of Nero. Seathes, 



