THE horse's rescue. 167 



When I was in my shop shoeing this mare was there. 

 My little boy helped me. He could wash her legs 

 and move her around. I had other horses to take 

 care of at tl'is tinie. I woi'ked on her in the stable 

 cold winter niiihts, and exercised her ni«^hts for six 



ill o 



montlis when all were asleep. After I had spread her 

 feet the first time she was so bad I did n^t show hei". 

 She could not stand on three feet while I packed ihe 

 other one, but would come down on her knees, I kept 

 her feet soft. In a few davs she could stand up quite 

 well, though one foot kept lame about ten days. The 

 shoulders were so deformed, and had been so so long, 

 that it seemed impossible for them ever to come back 

 to their natural place. This was the cause of my hav- 

 incr so much work to do to f>"et her there, but she could 

 not stay. I pulled her neck on to}), rubbed and 

 pulled the skim on her shoulders, *and washed them 

 in warm water; the fact is, I was in the barn nights 

 with tliis horse and others, or on tlie I'oad driving them 

 more than half of the time that winter. j\[y wife told 

 me one night that I was a fool. I did not quarrel 

 with her, for I had had some serious thoughts en the 

 subject myself. I was losing many nights' rest, and 

 obtaining no reward. I was buying feed to keep 

 other people's horses, and curing them for nothing. 

 "When looking at it in this light, it did not look veiy 

 promising. They could not read m^^y thoughts. I was 

 determined to excel as a worker on the horse's feet, 

 and fit myself for a teacher; and before I can insti'uct, 

 said I to mvself, I must know somethiniy to teach. 



This old mare was to be my last experiment. I 

 could not expand her feet enough at one time to let 



