23 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



ing was principally directed to make the horse particularly 

 adapted for war, as the importance of cavalry was begin- 

 ning to be perceived by the Greeks in their contests with 

 that nation of horsemen, the Persians. He displays great 

 judgment when specifying the proper form and disposi- 

 tion of parts which collectively make up the nearest ap- 

 proach to a perfect horse, and markedly shows to what 

 a high degree in that distant age this kind of knowledge 

 was cultivated ; indeed, from his writing, we are led to in- 

 fer, that in his time, and perhaps for long before, there 

 were accomplished horse-breakers and public riding mas- 

 ters, as well as men who were excellent judges of horses' 

 qualities. 



Xenophon's instructions are well worthy of a place 

 in every treatise on horses and horsemanship, and as his 

 chief experience was no doubt derived while following 

 the profession of arms, and during his command of the 

 cavalry in conducting and covering the glorious retreat 

 of the Ten Thousand Greeks from the interior of Persia, 

 abundant opportunities must have presented themselves 

 to justify him in afterwards urging on the attention 

 of those who had the care of horses, the most scrupulous 

 circumspection in the preservation of their hoofs ; thus 

 strongly indicating that shoes were not in use. 



In advising as to the good ' points ' to be sought for 

 in a horse, he employs the clearest terms to express his 

 meaning. ' A person,' he says, ' may form his opinion of 

 the feet by first examining the hoofs ; for thick (or strong) 

 hoofs are much more conducive to firmness than thin 

 ones ; and it must not also escape his notice whether the 

 hoofs are high or low, as well before as behind ; for high 



