290 . THE horse's rescue. 



He was not such a horse as he wanted. He made him 

 so much trouble that he began to talk of taking him 

 off to have his shoulders doctored, or dispose of him 

 in some way. I made up my mind, while I was 

 around looking at this poor horse, to rescue him, let it 

 cost what it would. I said to Mr. Ives : 



*' What will you take for this horse ? " 



"You dare not make me an offer." 



"Oh, yes, I dare. I will give you fifty dollars." 



" He is yours." 



I pulled him. across the road to my barn. N'ow I 

 have got this horse in my control. Whether I can 

 cure this horse or not, I can help him wonderfully in 

 about one hour by dressing his feet down. There was 

 no time lost nntil this job was completed. I put on a 

 pair of spreaders, cutting his feet, and letting him go 

 back on his base some. I soon had both of his feet 

 in warm water, soaking, washing his legs and cords. 

 I soaked his feet the remainder of that day, and packed 

 them at night. The next day I drove him eight 

 miles and back, up and down heavy hills single, and 

 he drew a heav}^ load of stock for my shop. He 

 sailed very comfortably, no limpmg, and yet all the 

 cause I had removed then was what I cut off his toes ; 

 that shortened the lever some. After making his feet 

 as soft as I could, I spread them about three-eighths of 

 an inch. Of course it affected him badly at -first. 

 The shell and sole of his feet were just like horn, and 

 did not seem to have any life in them. The shell was 

 completely dead and shrinking all around the sensitive 

 part of his feet. When I spread his foot I did not see 

 the shell come down. He was on his base ; his weight 



