270 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



consequence, to work easily, and free from undue 

 friction. 



When you have talked over the matter with all 

 and sundry; invested in and completely absorbed 

 the pabulum afforded by the various treatises 

 on these subjects, you will probably arrive at 

 the writer's conclusion — and practice will surely 

 confirm your opinion that, first, any system of shoe- 

 ing which does more than simply to protect the ex- 

 posed hoof from wear is, in the long run, unneces- 

 sary ; second, that, as to its ground surface, at least, 

 the normal foot must be maintained in its original 

 shape and development ; third, that, save for special 

 purposes (as balancing the trotter, governing high 

 action for the carriage-horse or securing foothold 

 for the draught-horse), this protection should be oi 

 the lightest and narrowest ; fourth, that, given a 

 normal foot, the ordinary conditions of private usage 

 preclude the necessity of any protection whatever; 

 fifth, that the saving of expense resulting from 

 such a system is very considerable — at least twenty- 

 five dollars per year per horse; so that in a period 



