THE HORSE. 83 



<( IN WHAT POINTS THE ART OF SHOEING DOTH 



" CONSIST. 



" The art of shoeing consisteth in these points, 

 that is to say, in paring the hooue well, in making the 

 shoe of good stuffe, in wel fashioning the webbe 

 thereof, and well piercing the same; in fitting the 

 shoe unto the horses foote, in making nailes of good 

 stuffe, and well fashioning of the same ; and finallie, 

 in well driving of the said nailes, and clenching of the 

 same. But sith neither paring nor shoeing is no ab- 

 solute thing of itself, but hath respect unto the foote 

 or hooue, (for the shoe is to be fitted to the foote, and 

 not the foote to the shoe), and that there be divers 

 kinds of hooues, both good and bad, requiring great 

 diversitie as well of paring, as shoeing : it is meet, 

 therefore, that we talke first of the diversitie, and 

 then shew you how they ought to be pared and 

 shod." 



He remarks, after Csesar Fiaschi, the Italian, on 

 the narrow heels of Barbs and Spanish jennets, 

 that their feet generally become tender and hoof- 

 bound, and that they are unfit for travel. In his 

 directions for shoeing all kinds of hoofs, he speaks 

 particularly on the quality, mode of driving and 

 clenching the nails. E. G. " And as touching the 

 nails, then make them also of the same iron (Spanish) 

 before said, the heads whereof would be square, and 

 not fully so broad beneath as is above, but answer- 

 able to the piercing-holes, as the head of the nails 

 may enter in and fill the same, appearing above the 

 shoe, no more than the breadth of the back of a 



