84 THE horse's rescue. 



Bennett, Jr's., hotel teaching a credulous but ignorant 

 people how to cure stiffened and blind crippled horses. 

 He lectured in the streets, and was hired to cure the 

 stifE horses. He charged three dollars. This was 

 done bj bleeding in the plait vein. That would cure. 

 It would take a few months after the operation. The 

 blind were cured by the same butchery; in fact, it was 

 all mutilation. The horses there were a bloody-look- 

 ing lot. This was carried on for six weeks. These 

 horses all came to my shop at first to be shod immedi- 

 ately after the bleeding. I told them they were 

 fooled. I balanced between contraction, run-over 

 feet, and leverage as well as I could. Mort Bennett, 

 Jr., had a very fine dapple-brown horse six years old, 

 the best muscled horse, I think, I ever saw ; in fact, 

 the best I ever saw on all points. He had the best 

 material in his feet. That is an indication of good, 

 fine bone. This horse I had been shoeing. He was 

 badly off his base on all of his feet, and badly air- 

 puffed on all of his legs, caused by contraction and 

 leverage. His feet were walled up behind about four 

 inches. They had been allowed to gro^ at the heel 

 to keep him on his base and prevent the strain on his 

 cords — always pare the toe and never the heel. He 

 had gone from bad to worse until he was nearly off 

 his legs. I had talked with Mr. Bennett about his 

 horse Mike (for that was his name) which was in this 

 condition the first time I shod him. I told Bennett 

 his feet were badly contracted and he could not be 

 helped shoeing. He must be shod. I did the best I 

 could. It would not do to cut his heels down. He 

 would "sore" in his cords. I balanced him upas well 



