6 TREATISE ON HORSE-SHOEING. 



guage I can command, and such as the least- 

 informed among them are familiar with. But, be- 

 fore I enter upon the subject of shoeing, I must 

 notice two things, which we must not only believe, 

 but act upon, if we ever hope to arrive at really 

 good shoeing: the first is, that nature has given 

 to what horsemen call a good-shaped foot the 

 form best suited to the horse's wants; and the 

 second is, that the hoof expands when the horse's 

 weight is thrown upon it, and contracts when it 

 is taken off again. But the mere belief in these 

 things will be of no use, unless we make the shoe 

 to fit the foot, and nail it on in such a manner 

 as will allow the hoof to expand and contract; 

 for we might as well not believe at all, as believe 

 a thing to be right, and not do it. 



Nailing an iron shoe to a living horse's foot is 

 a very unnatural thing to do; but, as it must be 

 done, it is our duty to see how we can do it 

 with the least injury to the horse. To show this, 

 I will suppose myself addressing a young smith, 

 who is about to shoe his first horse. 



