THE house's rescue. 201 



measure her shoe to see how much I did spread it. It 

 needed but very little. The sole is the guide on all 

 feet. I cannot furnish any reason, sense, or judgment 

 in this woi'k. I want all I have got for my own use. 

 You must use your own on this work — all you can 

 command — and use it all of the time in all cases. 

 They all vary in many ways, as I have already written 

 many times. 



I spread after this operation a little every ten or 

 twelve or fifteen days, according to my best judgment. 

 The object in doing this was to keep the structure of 

 the foot always in harmony of action, and this cofTni- 

 joint and all others as r.ear their natui'al place as pos- 

 sible all the time. So as to have her improve, I did 

 not leave anything undone for one hour that I could 

 do to forward this work I was trying so haid to do. I 

 had got this mare's feet flattened out, and the growth 

 not wearing off. The shoe nailed on to hold it spread 

 would also hold it from spreading; at the same time, 

 if the foot was allowed to grow on the course it is in- 

 clined to grow and not spread, the sole would I'aisc up 

 in degrees according to tlie time it was held at the bot- 

 tom. This would affect the coffin-joint and throw her 

 off her base and affect her all over according to the 

 degree of change from natural. I kept this mare and 

 changed her shoes several times to keep the lever on 

 the toe as short as I could, and spread her feet many 

 times a little. You ought to see what I was spreading 

 her feet for by small degrees. I kept up rubbii]g her 

 shoulders often, and nights many houi-s at a time. I 

 drove her nights. There was no let-up on this job for 

 six months. Reader, imagine, if 3'ou can, my feelings, 



