30 HORSE DOCTOR. 



liness will allow, he will gradually lose the recollection 

 offoimer ill-treatment, and become tractable and quieL 



VICIOUS TO SHOE. 



The correction of this is more peculiarly the business 

 of the smith ; yet the master should diligently concern 

 himself with it, for it is oftener the consequence of inju- 

 dicious or bad usage than of natural vice. It may be 

 expected that there will be some difficulty in shoeing a 

 horse for the first few times. It is an oper^ion that 

 gives him a little uneasiness. * 



The man to whom he is most accustomed should go 

 with him to the forge \' and if another and steady horse 

 is shod before him, he maybe induced more readily to 

 submit. It cannot, be denied that, after the habit of re- 

 sisting this necessary operation is formed, force may 

 sometimes be necessary to reduce our rebellious servant 

 to obedience ; but we unhesitatingly affirm that the ma- 

 jority of horses vicious to shoe, are rendered so by harsh 

 usage, and by the pain of correction being added to the 

 uneasiness of shoeing. It should be a rule in every 

 forge, that no smith should be permitted to strike a horse, 

 much less to twitch or to gag him, without the master- 

 farrier's order ; and that a young horse should never be 

 twitched or struck. There are few horses that may not 

 be gradually rendered mariageable for this purpose by 

 mildness and firmness in the operator. They will spon 

 understand that no harm is meant, and they will not 

 forget their usual habit of obedience ; but if the remem- 

 brance of corporeal punishment is connected with shoe- 

 ing, tfiey will always be fidgety, and occasionally dan- 

 gerous. 



This is a very serious vice, for it not only exposes the 

 animal to occasional severe injury from his own struggles, 

 but also from the correction of the irritated smith, whose 

 life being in jeopardy, may be forgiven if he is some- 

 times a little too hard-handed. Such a horse is very 

 liable, and without any fault of the smith, to be pricked 

 and lamed in shoting ; and if the habit should be coa- 



