180 HORSES AND ROADS. 



horses may go to the crows, because they fail to see 

 the importance of an immense national economy. 

 Luckily, we may do without their interference if we 

 like, and show them ' how it is done.' 



But we must not get away from those mules just 

 yet. Without knowing positively, we cannot be far 

 from the mark if we suppose that stables which con- 

 tain hundreds of them must be daily visited by a 

 veterinary surgeon; and, if such be the case, why 

 should he not have direction over the farriers ? If 

 he had such, we should soon see the calk, as well as 

 a big piece of superfluous length of iron, cut off 

 from each side of the heel. Here is another op- 

 portunity for asking ' What ghost of a reason there 

 is ' for leaving iron to protrude behind the heels ? 

 What is it meant to protect — the tails? The mules 

 have them close shaven ; so they are not in reach of 

 anything below the hocks. What purpose, then, is 

 it meant to serve ? One result of the practice is to 

 make their heels come to the ground sooner than 

 they were intended to do, and so give them a false 

 ' tread,' thus using them up early, by making their 

 legs perform unnatural functions which lead to 

 fatigue and diseases. What is to hinder them from 

 wearing tips, to begin with ? The heavy shoeing, 

 and the generally indefensible manner in which they 

 are now shod, cause these hapless, light-limbed, and 

 small-footed creatures, when at their trot, to swing 

 their feet backwards and then upwards, in a manner 

 that is most ridiculous to a person accustomed to 

 mules; but their Cockney half-brothers, who have 



