312 LIFE WlTii THE TEOTTEES. 



much I remove tlie shoes as often as twice a month and 

 sometimes even more frequently, and in that case try and 

 give the horse a day off from his training, and if there is any 

 fever or inflammation apply something either in the way of 

 a lotion or poultice to counteract the fever. 



Among some of the notable instances where I have shod 

 horses in this manner and jDroved to my own satisfaction 

 that it was a benefit, I can name Johnston the pacer, Mnnie 

 K., Fanny Witherspoon, J. Q., and that reliable horse, the 

 book-maker's favorite. Protection. The most marked in- 

 stance that ever came under my hands was Mambrino 

 Sparlde. When I first saw this mare she had a record of 

 2:30. In watching her I noticed she showed a great deal of 

 speed and for a big mare went with a short, jerky gait. I 

 think that sometimes we are attracted toward horses the 

 same as w^e are toward people, without being able to tell 

 the reason why; I know I was in this case and took an 

 interest in Sparkle the first time I saw her. I watched her 

 that year in her work and races, and w^hile she seemed to 

 improve in her record she was not, on the whole, a very satis- 

 factory horse, going a good many in-and-out heats. The 

 next year I had a better opportunity to watch her and I 

 noticed when the track was soft she would go fast and on a 

 trot, and when she struck a hard track she shortened up 

 her gait and wanted to run a good deal. I made up my 

 mind from this that her feet certainly hurt her. The next 

 winter she was offered for sale and to the astonishment of 

 all I induced Mr. W. J. Gordon to buy her, not, however, 

 until I had explained to him all about her feet, etc. The 

 old heads were very much surprised that Mr. Gordon 

 should buy this mare, as it was known that he never wiinted 

 to own anything but first-class animals. On taking Sparkle 

 to Mr. Gordon's stable and having her feet exa)nined I 

 found them very dry and hard, a good deal of fever and 

 inflammation, and she acted very sore on them, and on hav- 

 ing the blacksmith shape them, saw they were very much 

 worse than I had expected. I ordered her grain reduced to 



