HORSE-SHOEING. **■' 



INSTRUCTION OF FARRIERS. 



The foregoing instructions relative to shoeing are, in substance, 

 those which I have been in the habit, for several years of laying 

 before the farriers in the different regiments in which I have 

 served, and with an amount of success which amply rewarded me 

 for the trouble I took to see that they were carried into practice. 

 Not only have my own duties been considerably lightened in the 

 greatly diminished number of lame and unserviceable horses, but 

 the labors of the farriers have been considerably abbreviated and 

 simplified, and by their being able to understand the reasons for 

 acting as I desired, their intelligence was awakened, and they 

 took an interest in carrying out my views. 



In our army this is not always the case. The subject of farriery 

 is often looked upon much as it is in civil life— as a matter that 

 concerns the farrier only, and tradition and routine extensively 

 prevail. In saying this, however, I do not intend for a moment 

 to insinuate that the army veterinary surgeons are averse to 

 giving their attention to a most important, though it may appear 

 a minor, part of their duty. On the Contrary, many of them do 

 so, and with the greatest advantage to the service; but there is 

 not the same encouragement offered either to veterinary surgeons 

 or farriers in this respect as there is in Continental armies. In 

 the French army, for instance, there are schools and professors 

 of farriery, the most notable of these being at the cavalry school 

 of Saumur. In these, the farriers are regularly trained to a uni- 

 form and approved system before being posted to different regi- 

 ments, and direct encouragement is given to these men by the 

 institution of competitions, in which the most successful are re- 

 warded by medals and gifts of money. 



But not only does the French Government bestow some care in 

 the advancement of farriery in the army ; it also stimulates com- 



