26 



several times, and he will practically understand, why it is, 

 that horses sometimes topple over after down leaps towards 

 the end of a day. Many horses are more beaten by paui 

 in the feet, than by the severity of the run : the pain causes 

 them to step shorter and consequently quicker; this, together 

 with the irritation arising from the pain, makes them breathe 

 quicker, and sweat more, and in the end takes fully twice 

 as much out of them, as the same ran would have done, 

 if they had not suffered pain in their feet : this again man 

 can prove upon himself by a small experiment ; let him 

 supply himself ^^^.th a pah' of shooting shoes, that are 

 tolerably easy, when he sits down, or even when he stands 

 up ; but let there be a seam, or something else, which hurts 

 him just a httle, whenever his weight is thrown upon one 

 foot, as in walking ; thus equipped let him go through a day's 

 shooting, and say in the evening, whether the distance, or 

 the shoes have taken the most out of him. 



It has been suggested to me many times, that the publi- 

 cation of a few plain directions for the guidance of country 

 smiths would aid materially in extending the system, which 

 I have advocated ; but I am inclined to think, that the 

 object will be far better obtained by adhering to my original 

 plan of writing exclusively for the information of the unin- 

 formed, and giving a detailed description of the preparation, 

 fittmg, and nailing on of a shoe, addressed to those, who 

 have never been led either by interest, or inchnation, to 

 attend at the forge, where alone a thorough and practical 

 knowledge of the process is to l3e gained. I have availed 

 myself of the art of Glyphography, to execute my own 



