314. THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 



The queftlon you afk me about fhoeing, I am 

 unable to anfwer. Yet I am of opinion, that 

 horfes fhould be fhod with more or lets iron, ac- 

 cording as the country where they hunt requires; 

 but in this, a good farrier will beft dired you. 

 Nothing certainly is more necetlary to a horfe 

 than to be well fliod. The flioe fliould be a pro- 

 per one, and it fliould fit his foot. Farriers are 

 but too apt to make the foot fit the flioe.* My 

 groom carries a falfe fhoe, which jull ferves to 

 fave a horfe's hoof, when he lofes a flioe, till 

 it can be put on again. In fome countries you 

 fee them loaded with laws, hatchets, Slc. 1 am 



* I venture to give the following rules on flioeing — in a fliort 

 and dccifive manner, as founded on the ftii£teft anatomical and 

 mechanical principles, laid down by the beft maflers. The 

 iboe fliould be flat, and not turned up at the heel, or reach be- 

 yond //w/, or the toe: but the middle part fliould extend rather 

 beyond the outv/ard edge of the hoof, that the hoof may not be 

 contrafted ; the outward part of which may be pared to bring it 

 down to an even furface, to fit it for the fixing on of the flioe.— 

 If the foot be ton long, the foe may be pared, or rafped down ; 

 which, in many cafes, may even be necefiary to preferve the 

 proper flia{)e of the hoof, and bring the foot to a ftroke, and 

 bearing, the moft natural and advantageous. Neither the 

 horny-fole, or frog, (nieant by nature for the guard of the foot, 

 and fafety of the horfe) are, upon any account, to be pared or 

 cut away. The fmall, loofe, r-agged parts, that at times appear, 

 ihould be cut ofr with a pcn-kiiife ; but that deflrufiive inftru- 

 mcnt called the buttcris^ which, in the hands of ftubborn igno- 

 rance, has done more injury to the feet of horfes than all th^ 

 I baces of tl-ie world, faould be baniUied for ever. 



glad 



