FIRST-HAND BITS OF STABLE LORE 



Preliminarily he will assert that, given the op- 

 portunity to rest the animal (by employing others) 

 when the attrition of our stone and gravel roads 

 has worn the foot to a condition where the horse 

 evidences tenderness, nearly every horse — at all 

 events the beast for average harness and saddle use 

 — does better, and is vastly cheaper to keep if left 

 barefooted. Secondly he gives it as his experience 

 and opinion that an even larger percentage does 

 better, lasts longer sound, and works more easily 

 and naturally if no shoes are used but tips. 



Naturally Dame Nature does not in a night 

 overcome the mistakes of years, nor produce in a 

 moment the redundancy of material rendered 

 necessary by the sudden exposure of the un- 

 accustomed foot. The secreting vessels must be 

 brought up gradually to the point of pouring forth 

 in quantity the horny matter needed to repair such 

 waste, and growth must be forced by the appli- 

 cation of moisture ; and the foot itself gradually 

 toughened, frequent intervals of rest being ar- 

 ranged that renewal may keep pace with the 

 attrition of travel. Of course the pleasure horse, 

 for saddle or driving purposes, or the farm horse, 

 is the animal indicated for this treatment, and the 

 heavy drafter used on city pavements is outside 



ii6 



