72 CONFESSIONS OP A HORSE DKALTCR. 



" ' Well, then/ said Tom, ' I believe he is a d d 



screw.' 



" ' Not he, it is his way of going.' 



" 'I know that,' said Tom, with an ominous shake of 

 the head, ' but we shall soon see, sir.' 



" I was very uneasy, for the horse evidently got worse 

 as we neared home, and when we arrived his feet were 

 carefully examined, but we could see nothing to account 

 for his excessive care in placing them on the ground, and 

 Tom said his legs were free from blemishes and natural 

 heat in every joint, so that he finally gave an opinion 

 that the horse was shod too tight. After grooming and 

 feeding, he was taken to the shoeing forge, where I ac- 

 companied him ; his shoes were taken off in my presence, 

 and would you believe it, sir, there was actually a pebble 

 about the size of a pea inserted between one of his shoes 

 and the sole of his foot. 



" ' I thought when he came into the forge that he was 

 beaned, sir/ said the farrier to me. 



" ' What do you mean by being beaned ?' I enquired, 

 thinking the pebble had got there in travelling. 



" < Why/ said the farrier, ' you have bought the 

 horse from a coper ; he is lame on the other foot, and 

 this pebble was placed under the shoe of the sound foot 

 to make him give way and go equal, and so disguise the 

 lameness, which you will soon perceive exists on the 

 other foot, when I have nailed the shoe on this again ; 

 but still he will not appear so lame now as after the 

 effect of the pressure on. the pebble is worn off.' 



