132 



HORSES, 



it full trot down a hill covered with snow and ice. 

 This pony had been shod up to seven years old. The 

 farm horses are young and strong, and have been 

 bred on the place, and though mostly employed in 

 the fields, are frequently engaged in hauling corn, 

 timber, bricks, or manure, for home or hire purposes. 

 No roads than those around Winchester can be more 

 trying, repaired (!) as they are with flints, which have 

 been broken just enough to make them cut like razors, 

 and are a cruelty to horses shod or unshod. I find 

 no difference in the capability of drawing full loads. 

 There is no stamping in the stable or when standing 

 out ; over asphalt or icy pavements there is no slip- 

 ping ; the feet do not ball up over snow. 



** * The great drawback is that against which all who 

 try any new groove have to contend, namely, the un- 

 yielding prejudice of all classes, more especially those 

 who have to look after the horsey, who, rather than 

 aid in any change, will throw every obstacle in the 

 way ; but to my brother farmers I say emphatically, 

 the man who cuts the frog of or shoes his young 

 horse is committing a great error. With a little care 

 at first you may work them on roads or fields ; the 

 animals will be certainly happier and probably health- 

 ier, and yourselves be in pocket by the change, and, 

 with an occasional rasp the appearance of your 

 horses will be far better than the torn, jagged, heavily^ 

 ironej and nailed feet of one-half the wretched 

 animals it is painful to see about the country.' " 



