82 



THE CARE OP HORSES 



Beans should not be merely split, but crushed or 

 bruised ; they will even then give plenty of employ- 

 ment to the animal's grinders. In general cases, 

 beans without oats would be too binding and 

 stimulating, and would produce costiveness and 

 probably megrims or staggers. Neither the hard- 

 worked coach-horse, nor the washy one, nor the old 

 one, could perform their tasks without beans. 



CHAPTER X 



SHOEING 



No matter how perfect a horse may be in form, 

 with symmetry of limbs, and ideal back, shoulders and 

 quarters, he is useless if he has not good feet. And 



~-— - Coronal. 



Navicular 



Pedal bone. 



FIG. 38.— THE BONES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT: SIDE VIEW OF 

 FOOT BONES. 



this important part of his conformation is frequently 

 ruined by the ignorance of shoeing-smiths, particu- 

 larly those in rural districts. 



The country blacksmith is very conservative, and 

 a useful hint given or any knowledge imparted to him 

 is generally resented with a cavernous grunt, as if 



