THE horse's rescue. 57 



not spread out his feet. We must do the best we can 

 as he is. 



Spreading the foot with nails, that is, by fitting the 

 shoe so much wider than the foot, I do not like. I do 

 not want to spread the foot at the toe ; the heel is the 

 place. All feet spread at the toes, on that principlej 

 would contract the heels; they are contracted enough 

 now. And that is not all; it would tear all the shell 

 off; besides, when they get soaked soft, the shoe, 

 shell and all, would go. It is curious, is it not, with 

 all of the ailments this poor horse has, his doctors 

 have worked at the wrong place — the effect? But I 

 have not got through looking him over yet. He 

 '^'stands as w^e left him. A¥hat would be the effect on 

 this horse if we should leave him, and not get his feet 

 back, so as to have his weight on the center of his 

 foot? There is eight hundred weight on them now. 

 There should be more than half on the fore legs, and 

 the horse weighs twelve hundred. That lever is 

 rather long. In the position he is obliged to stand 

 in his hind legs are of but little use. If we take up 

 one of them half the weight must come on the shoer, 

 and there will be quite a struggle before that leg can 

 be got in a position to shoe. It has been so a long 

 time, and the horse is sore across his kidneys. His 

 hind parts are too low for his fore parts. Look at 

 him ; his back is humped, and there is a constant 

 strain. All :s out of harmony, both internally and 

 externallv. This horse is not as bad as he will be 

 made yet by these effect doctors, these veterinarians, 

 these professors of great wisdom. He will stand a 

 little more torturing and mutilation. He is tough. 



