54 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



says : ' By the riiggedness of roads, and long journeys, the 

 hoofs of animals are worn out, and hinder their walking. 

 (Aiumalium uugiiUc asperitate ac longitudine itinerum 

 deteruntur et impediuut iiice.s.si(/u, etc.) From a twisting 

 or contusion also, if horses or mules be forced to gallop 

 or run on a rugged or stony road, bruises and chaiings 

 arise ; lastly, though no cause has preceded, when they 

 stand idle in the stables, they begin to halt and go lam.e. 



You shall foment the feet that are bruised and 



worn underneath with warm water.'' Alter a journey, it is 

 recommended that the horses' feet ' be carefully washed 

 and examined, lest any clay or mud remain about their 

 joints and soles. They must also be rubbed with oint- 

 ment, that their hoofs may be nourished, and that what 

 horn the journey has worn away may, through the virtue 

 of the medicament, grow up again.' He then gives various 

 prescriptions for applications which nourish the hoofs and 

 make them firm. These were to be rubbed in around 

 the coronets and over the feet. At the wane of the 

 moon ' the soles and hoofs of the animals must be trimmed 

 with a paring iron, which allows the heat to escape, cools 

 and refreshes them, and makes their hoofs the stronger.'^ 

 'It is a more prudent counsel to preserve the soundness 

 of horses' feet, than to cure any disorder in them ; but 



have been written in the sevettth^-or eighth century. The codex of 

 Corbey belongs to the ninth century. From the quotations atibrded 

 above, it will be seen that he could not have known anything regarding 

 shoeing with nails, otherwise he could not avoid mentioning it. As 

 will be noticed hereafter, this art was practised at Constantinople 

 before 945. 



' J^egetii Renati. Artis Veterinariae. Lib. ii. cap. 55. Basil, 1528. 



^ Lib. i. cap. 56. 



