PREFACE. XV 



before I succeeded in perfecting it. I had a four-horse 

 curricle some little time back, but have now only a small 

 curricle for two horses standing about fifteen hands. 



Having driven very many miles upon country roads 

 in various parts of England, besides taking long walks in 

 Switzerland, Italy, and other parts of the Continent, I 

 have had many opportunities of gaining information 

 respecting roads. 



In offering some explanation for venturing to write 

 upon draught, traction, shoeing and the care of horses, 

 I claim to be heard with some deference, being a coach 

 and horse man of many years' standing, and having made 

 a careful study of these subjects. I have nearly all my life 

 possessed a horse of some kind, frequently considerable 

 numbers. The long driving tours which I have undertaken, 

 have given me an opportunity of observing the amount 

 of work a horse can do on a variety of roads, passing 

 through districts each possessed of a different soil, and over 

 roads each differing slightly in its mode of construction. 



When driving, I generally notice anything wrong with 

 the vehicles I meet on my way or in the manner in which 

 the horses are attached thereto. 



I am writing now from my house in Hampshire, where, 

 as my own architect and builder, I have erected stabling 

 for several horses,* and to and from this stable have come 

 and gone many young horses all varying in disposition, 

 character, and quality ; consequently I have had, especially 

 during the last six years, plenty of opportunities of deter- 

 mining the best mode of treatment calculated to conduce 

 to their comfort and well-being, I was on the point of 

 saying happiness, since all efforts of kindly - disposed 

 persons who seek to ameliorate the condition of animals 

 must have the result, if steadily persevered in, of con- 



* I trust that I may be excused for mentioning this, but I do so 

 in- order to prove that my remarks on the building- of stables are the 

 result of actual experience acquired after considerable expenditure of 

 time, money, and patience. 



