26o Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



not alluding to cases in which the ground is very soft 

 and the work extremely light. A great deal of non- 

 sense is written periodically in English journals by 

 enthusiasts who advocate the practice of using horses, 

 unshod in this country. They maintain, without a 

 shadow of proof, that were animals thus employed 

 their hoofs would gradually become sufficiently strong- 

 to resist the wear and tear of English roads. The frogs 

 of their feet, from being brought down on the ground,, 

 would undoubtedly become much better developed than 

 with shoes ; but I fail to sec how this practice would 

 stimulate the growth of horn of the crust which is 

 secreted by the coronet. The)- even bring in the law of 

 " the survival of the fittest " to back up their argument, 

 and assert that if horses were worked barefoot, their 

 progeny would in time have such strong hoofs that we 

 should require no more blacksmiths. This, doubtless, 

 would turn out to be the case were breeders to devote 

 their attention solely to the production of horn of extra- 

 ordinary hardness and thickness. They, however, breed 

 for strength, speed, soundness, stoutness, quality, gamc- 

 ness, and cleverness, so cannot sacrifice these all-impor- 

 tant objects for the sake of a comparativ'cly small benefit.. 

 Inexperienced persons hav^e no idea of the immense 



