240 THE horse's rescue. 



How all this trouble and suffering can be overcome 

 Is more than I can tell, j^our drivers are so dumb. 

 Nearly all of j^our fellow-creatures are in the same plight, 

 The same as 3-ou, they are obliged to suffer day and night. 

 "With sore cords, pains, and aches in their feet, 

 Some are so bad tbey cannot stjmd long enough to eat. 

 I would like to relieve the suffering of nil of your kind; 

 How to do it I cannot tell, thej'' all seem so blind. 

 This is the reason why I put you away, 

 Is to see if I can incroduce this some other way. 

 On all of the centers I have equalized your weight, 

 Taken off the toe-lever, and made your feet mates; 

 And put the structure of your foot all in harmouy of action, 

 And it would stay so if it w'eren't for run-over feet, leverage, and con- 

 traction. 

 By ironing the feet this cannot be prevented 

 With any steel or iron shoe that man has ever invented. 

 The dangers that you are surrounded with are many ; 

 1 do not know as I can help you to steer clear of any. 

 That old ditch called the canal is close by ; 

 That is wliere old horses like you are taken to die. 

 When horses like you have been crippled and old, 

 To go on the canai then thej' are sold. 

 To last one trip is sometimes all they care, 

 la doing this they are st -ipped of flesh, hide, and hair. 

 I have seen them in herds plodding their way 

 Toward this ditch, there to end up their day. 

 "When you were young and limber you had better homes, 

 Now you are stiff, you must have all the flesh chawed off your bones. 

 This is the best place for that that can be found, 

 Search where you will, the world all round. 

 It serves all the same, young, limber, stiff, or blind; 

 A worse place for a horse or a mule you cannot find. 

 It galls and chafes them both fore and aft, 

 All caTised by so much side draft. 



Horses on this ditch can never travel and draw on a straight line. 

 If men had this work to do it would be tedious they would find. 

 Ihis side draft can never be overcome, this is sure — 

 Remove the cause, no medicine is required to perform the cure. 

 Water to walk on by man or beast the creator never made, 



