534 SHOEING. 



of two falls, and the driver or rider grown some\vhat timid 

 by twice being cast upon the earth. The one treads more 

 carefully, and the other is content to pass the dangerous 

 locality at a slower rate. The new shoe, therefore, this 

 time perfectly succeeds ; and so the old one w^ould have 

 done had it been permitted to remain upon the foot. The 

 amendment in the manner of going arises from other causes 

 than the shoe ; but the dupe attributes the change to the 

 last addition, and, in his prejudice, cannot be induced to sit 

 behind a horse wearing any other. 



There is another prejudice the forge is apt to appeal to, 

 and this is avarice. A shoe is recommended, because it 

 will w^ear so much longer. Many horses could go in their 

 shoes perhaps a fortnight longer ; but then a remove, that 

 is, taking off the shoe and paring out the foot, would be 

 necessary. Even, however, with the remove, some hazard 

 would be incurred ; and with a horse under the best of cir- 

 cumstances there is alway sufficient risk. This, therefore, 

 is a subterfuge to push off an inferior article, under the 

 pretence of its possessing extraordinary qualities. This 

 trick can only be practised upon certain owners ; for some 

 horses, shoe them how you may, and put what amount of 

 iron and steel you will, wear through the metal far more 

 quickly than the horn is reproduced, so as to afford hold 

 for the nails. But upon gentlemen w^io have horses that 

 do not work much, the fraud is very frequent, and it is 

 really astonishing how many persons it imposes on. When 

 a smith tells you he has a better article in reserve, refuse to 

 listen to him. You pay him for the best his shop contains ; 

 and the fellow w^ould not confess he was cheating you, 

 unless he thought to gain by the admission : repel all such 

 appeals. Shut your mind against all such advances. Close 

 your ears against all suggestions intended to tickle your 

 avarice ; and you will in the end be a gainer in pocket, for 

 you may be very certain no tradesman has so very honest a 

 spirit that he abhors to finger your money, or can afford to 

 be candid in business at his own expense. 



If your horse has weak spreading feet, the smith then 

 cannot remove too little horn. Tell the man to draw a 

 heated iron over the sole at each shoeing. When the first 

 effects of the fire have subsided, the secretion will be hard- 



