SHOEING. 531 



free his mind fi'om a portion of his predilection for a neat 

 turn-out, and have the creatures under his charge kept in 

 greater accordance with the fixed rules of nature. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



Our advice to all persons not intimately acquainted with 

 the process of shoeing, is not to dictate, but to clearly point 

 out what defect they wish remedied, and leave the choice of 

 the shoe to the smith : nor must we blame the man if the 

 first shoe does not altogether succeed. There appears to 

 be much of chance in these matters. Two horses shall cut ; 

 the defect here is obvious, and it would be thought the 

 remedy was certain ; but there are five different shoes for 

 this defect, and no man can tell the precise one which will 

 suit a particular case. One horse will go well in one, 

 another in the second, and so on ; but all must be tried, to 

 know that which will exactly answer any special horse : 

 this is even the case, although the first veterinarian that 

 ever lived stands at the horse's heels ; and the proprietor 

 need not complain, if he is no worse off in the hands of a 

 smith. Therefore, do not blame the man if he should not 

 hit upon the precise shoe which is to make your nag fault- 

 less : he will ultimately stumble against it if you do but 

 give him time ; and no doctor can do more, only people 

 yield more w^illingly to a httle outward respectability, joined 

 to the most delicate assertion of superior judgment. 



Then, with regard to a horse being pricked. Do not, 

 when this accident happens — and that it does not more 

 frequently occur is a subject for legitimate wonder — do not 

 fly into a passion, and abuse the unlucky smith. It, ten to 

 one, was no fault of the man's ; but let the subject be fairly 

 investigated, and your horse will probably be found the 

 sinner. The best smith may prick any horse at any time ; 

 but the worst or the best is seriously culpable if he attempt 

 to conceal the occurrence, and the horse be laid up in con- 

 sequence of his silence. Then let loose upon him the ven- 

 geance of the law, and you will be sure of a verdict, for no 

 one can defend the culprit. 



If your horse has a thick wall, a high hard sole, and a 

 small inelastic frog, affected with a running thrush which 

 never dries up, have the soles pared out till they are quite 



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