



6 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



ing of matter, or by some voluntary act of your own, or 

 by the under part having been injured by some obstacle 

 in the way, and have been a long time lame, this is the 

 cure.'' The principal remedy proposed for these hoof-worn 

 animals consisted essentially of pitch and rosin melted, and 

 applied to the sole and the part coming in contact with 

 the ground. It may be well to note here, that in the East 

 Indies, melted pitch is largely applied to the feet of 

 elephants when they become lam.e from journeying, or are 

 about to travel over rocky ground. 



Perhaps a stronger proof than any that horses were 

 not accustomed to be shod at this time, lies in the fact, 

 that in the many directions given with great detail as to 

 the management of the feet, and the performance of vari- 

 ous operations in and on the sole, not a word is said as to 

 removing the shoe previously, or replacing it afterwards. 

 Besides, Renatus mentions every malady to which the un- 

 shod foot is liable ; had nailed shoes been in vogue he must 

 have spoken of the accidents arising from their use, such 

 as pricks from the nails, which give rise to great lameness 

 and often dangerous consequences now-a-days ; and he 

 could scarcely omit noticing wounds and fractures caused 

 by kicks from shod hoofs. Mention is made, however, 

 of horses and mules being squeezed or bruised with the 

 stroke of a wheel or an axle-tree. 



Vegetius appears to have been no stranger to the 

 manners and customs of other and oftentimes distant 

 countries, and to have been perfectly acquainted with the 

 breeds of horses in them. For instance, in treating of 

 the characteristics of horses, by which their native country 



' Lib. i. cap. 26. 



