76 THE HORSE. 



destroys the horn too fast for its scanty and tardy 

 production. 



On frosting shoes I must again refer proprietors 

 ;md operative farriers to Mr. Goodwin's book. He 

 has treated this topic obviously on practical views. 

 I had, formerly, much trouble with my cart horses 

 in Ions; frosts. His recommendation of a bar-shoe in 

 frost, with a recess or calkin on the centre of the 

 bar, is a novelty to me, but it seems to present a 

 greater security to the tread. The toes and heels 

 should be steeled, and the ruff should not be so hio-h 

 as usual, and may be made removeable. Frost nails 

 soon become smooth and useless, whence the French 

 nail head is recommended as more substantial and 

 durable. 



I am tempted to digress awhile here, with the ex- 

 pectation, no doubt, of being prodigiously applauded 

 for my pains. In dry summers the racehorses have 

 to gallop over an extremely slippery surface, whence 

 many dangerous and some fatal accidents have hap- 

 pened. Many years ago I rode a large, striding, 

 and awkward horse, which I had out of the Marquis 

 of Rockingham's stud, over Epsom, when the soil 

 was in a tolerable condition for skating; I did not 

 feel myself much at ease, but pulled up with no other 

 inconvenience than the horse sliding a few yards. 

 It then occurred to me that frost nails in the plates 

 might be tried in such a season ; and the thing lately 

 occurring to my recollection, I mentioned it to Mr. 

 Turner, who said he knew of no other objection than 

 the risk of the horse wounding his legs, which, I 

 conceive, could not well happen, as the stroke cannot 



