58 THE horse's rescue. 



I can fix him so he can haul his half of two cords of 

 green wood up and down heavy hills a little while j^et, 

 and suffer night and day, and I am going to do it. 

 Come on, Oliver, let us try him. We will have a 

 tough time. This horse is finished, and he stands 

 well back on his hind feet, shortening that lever by 

 dressing the foot, and raising heel of shoe a little 

 higher than toe. Look the horse over if you must 

 shoe, not stand and talk about shoes. This horse 

 stands where the weight should be — in center; he is 

 in pain, and always will be, unless his foot expands; 

 and I well know it will not with those irons on his 

 feet — all out of harmony, structure all changed from 

 natural. He steps short, and every foot pains him, 

 night and day. Still, it looks well on the outside. If 

 3^ou want to tell look at his movement. 



Do you think these two horses were all we shod 

 that day? No, it was not. Forty -one years wrestling 

 with horses of all kinds — I am tired. Good-bye, poor 

 horse, I will come and see you before I get through 

 this work, for I am determined to find the way out of 

 this trouble. 



Supper is over. Let us go to the barn and see the 

 Kentucky hunter. By golly! Kit, you are looking 

 fine. Her feet have had packing iu them all the time. 

 Sponge over with whisky twice; rub dry each time. 

 We must look this mare's hind parts over before we 

 di'ive her any more, for we want all to work together 

 " in harmony of action." That lever is too loi»g. ■ 

 Weiirht is back oi center of foot. Too much strain 

 on back tendons. That must be fixed before the mare 

 is di'iven another rod. Lei us go to the shop, pare the 



