THE horse's rescue. 211 



I told you I would tell you what I would do at the 

 end of this journey with these horses, and here she 

 goes. If I did not know more than some folks do 

 about a horse I would pull off their shoes, if they did 

 take cold, and never nail or allow any one else to, an 

 iron on their feet. Then you would not stiffen so 

 many, giving them something to eat and drink, and 

 you would not cause your horses to suffer so much, 

 and you would enjoy your ride after them better. 



Reader, it is impossible for me to tell all the fault I 

 have had found with me and my work on one thing, 

 that is, the toe-corks would wear off on horseshoes. 

 They wanted big corks, and they wanted them to stay 

 big. They wanted them sharp, and to always stay 

 sharp. With all of my skill this I could not do. If I 

 could have done this it would have been a bier thino^. I 

 could give better satisfaction. I could have made horses 

 stiffer, and they would get stiff faster, if I could stop 

 the wear on the toe of the shoes. They tried hard to 

 get me to do it. I have sent lots away on this ac- 

 count. It is curious how hard folks will try to get you 

 to spoil their horses. Then after you have done it 

 thej will tell far and near that you did it. Some they 

 will tell they are foundered. They ate some oats or 

 drank water. What do all these contradictory stories 

 amount to ? Simply nothing. If they came from a 

 lunatic, or some one that had lost his reason, a little 

 consistency might appear, and some allowance be made. 

 The fact is, the condition these poor horses are thrown 

 in, caused by ironing their feet and other abuse, is so 

 complicated it is hard to convey with a pen or in any 

 other way, and I get very tired. Some are changed 



