52 HORSES AND ROADS. 



of the groom and the blacksmith seems to be that 

 they know better what the horse's foot should be 

 than the Creator of the animal does, for they are 

 never satisfied until they have altered the natural 

 foot into a form of their own, which they think the 

 right one ; and, though lameness usually attends 

 their efforts, they ascribe it to every cause but the 

 right one, and indeed resign themselves com- 

 placently to the presence of many diseases con- 

 fessedly caused by their treatment — perhaps, because 

 these diseases do not hurt their own sacred persons ! 

 It is really curious to observe all that has been 

 written about the horse's foot — the sort of follow- 

 my-leader principle, which is more evident here 

 than in writing on any other subject with which I 

 am acquainted. Very, very seldom is an original 

 idea to be found, and still more seldom an original 

 idea that is not marred by some adherence to the 

 old grooves to which preceding authors have con- 

 fined themselves.' ' Impecuniosus ' writes well, and 

 makes many good remarks, as we shall see further on ; 

 but the writer is also obliged to differ from him in 

 some things, as he is, indeed, obliged to differ with 

 all the authorities he quotes. As Baucher said, ' Si 

 je n'avais rien a dire de nouveau, je ne prendrais 

 pas la peine d'ecrire ; ' and it is with the intention 

 of offering some original remarks that he has under- 

 taken the present arduous and responsible task, even in 

 the face of the following words from ' Impecuniosus : ' 

 ' Every innovation is not reform, and this remark 

 applies specially to stable practice ; but any real 



