THE COMPLETE FARRIER. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



Of all things that the great Creator has made for the use of Man, 

 the Horse is the most serviceable. It is also the most tractable, if 

 broken in when young; but if not, it becomes restive and stubborn. 

 No creature is worse used among the brutish part of mankind. 



There are only three kinds of these useful creatures, viz: the Horse. 

 the Ass, and the Zebra: but by crossing the breeds, many different 

 sorts are produced. You may raise a cross breed from a horse, with 

 an ass, but you can go no further. We cannot learn with certainty 

 from history from whence horses came at first, but it is very likely 

 from Asia ; although the extensive plains of Africa abound with them, 

 and they run wild in many other parts of the world, where the natives 

 know no other use of them than to eat their flesh. 



In more civilized countries the horse becomes more tractable, and 

 then, and not till then, its proper value appears. Our own country 

 may challenge all nations for a good breed of horses, proper for all 

 uses. We have them from 8 to 18 hands high ; some as heavy as any 

 in the world, and some very small; some calculated for swiftness, and 

 some for drudgery ; and some which are kept for show, and are of 

 little use : but that is the fault of the owner, and not of the horse. 



Many of these useful creatures are slaughtered by sinful men, and 

 many are ill-treated through that abominable practice and soul-destroy- 

 ing evil — drunkenness; and these poor animals, which are so useful 

 lo man, are hungered, whipt, and ill-treated many other ways. A 

 horse is agreeable for its beauty, as well as valuable for its useful- 

 ness: but neither of these things prevents wicked men from using him 

 ill. But it is not my intention to give you a history of the horse in 

 this little treatise, but to inform you how to cure it when out of health. 



HOW TO CHOOSE A HORSE. 



In my time I have bought and sold hundreds of horses, as well as 

 had thousands under my care when unwell, but still I am at a loss how ' 

 to give my readers proper directions how to choose one.; for among all 

 the difficulties attending the common affairs of life, there is not perhaps 

 a greater than that of choosing a good horse ; nor will this appear 

 strange when we consider the number of niceties attending this animal, 

 with regard to its shape and manner of going, which are so numerous 

 that it would fill a volume to describe them. Indeed, the best judges 

 are obliged to content themselves with guessing at some things, unless 

 a sufficient trial be allowed. 



The Eyes are the first things to attend to, and should be well exam- 

 ined, as the best judges are often deceived in them. , Clearness of the 



