xvi The PREFACE. 



fervations^ and^ real improvements \ and 

 mujl conjefs, that, in our opi^iion^ thefe 

 two gentlemen are the only authorSy 

 who have treated the difeajls of hcrfes 

 with propriety, judgment^ and method \ 

 though perhaps there are few of note^ 

 that we have 720t carefully pcrufed^ 

 in order to render this treatlfe more 

 complete -, hut theje are the chief of 

 thofe, who have fuccefsfally contributed 

 to introduce a rational (yf em of farriery^ 

 and to ajjiji gentlemen in judging for 

 themfehes in cafes ^ wherein every per- 

 fin of a fuperior education, with any 

 tolerable fcare of experience, may at 

 leaf put himfelf on a footing with 

 the generality of our horfe-do5Iors, To 

 thefe genthmen we are indebted for the 

 early and ingenious Jitps they made to- 

 wards reducing it to a rational fyftem ; 

 well kno-jcing it was matter of weight 

 enough to engage the mojt fagacious 

 in the improvement of an art, from 

 which fo confderahle a benefit . a- 

 r'lfes to the greater part of mankind, 

 lo a late modern writer, the Sieur La 

 Fofie, we are alfo greatly obliged, for 

 the many accurate cbfirvations and 



1 difcovcries 



