80 ORANGE COUNTY 



TRIPPING 



He must be a skillful practitioner, or a mere pre- 

 tender, who promises to remedy this habit. If it 

 arises from a heavy fore-hand, and the fore-legs being 

 too much under the horse, no one can alter the natural 

 frame of the animal ; if it proceeds from tenderness of 

 the foot, grogginess, or old lameness, the ailments are 

 seldom cured. Also, if it is to be traced to habitual 

 carelessness and idleness, no whipping will rouse the 

 di'one. A known stumbler should never be ridden or 

 driven by any one who values his safety or his life. A 

 tight hand or a strong bearing-rein are precautions 

 that should not be neglected. 



If the stumbler has the foot kept as short, and the 

 toe pared as close as safety will permit, and the shoe 

 is rounded at the toe, or has that shape given to it 

 which it naturally acquires in a fortnight from the 

 peculiar action of such a horse, the animal may not 

 stumble quite so much ; or if the disease which pro- 

 duced the habit can be alleviated, some trifling good 

 may be done ; but, in almost every case, a stumbler 



