44 PINK AND SCARLET 



case make him do as you want, or leave him for 

 some other smith who will. The form of shoe 

 advised by Sir Frederick is the one pointed to by 

 those two very best of teachers, Nature and common 

 sense. It is almost an insult to them to add, that 

 the personal experience of one individual can vouch 

 for several horses which "stuck their toes in" in 

 the most bring-your-heart-into-your-mouth fashion, 

 becoming safe hacks when so shod. The great 

 thing to bear in mind in shoeing is, "Get the frog 

 on to the ground," i. e. so that a ruler laid across a 

 foot when held up, will touch the shoe on one side, 

 the frog in the middle, and then the shoe again on 

 the other side. This lets Nature do her work, for 

 the frog is made to take its share of the weight 

 and concussion with the walls of the hoof. The 

 more it is allowed to do its work, the bigger and 

 the healthier will it become, and thrush, " wired 

 in," and contracted heels will be unknown. 



Another thing regarding shoeing is, go occasion- 

 ally and see your horses shod yourself, to let the 

 smith see that you take an interest in it. Then, 

 don't forget his workmen at Christmas time ! 



A few words as regards forage, not as to how 

 to know its quality, etc., — Sir Frederick thoroughly 

 goes into that, — but as to the purchasing of it. 



The p7^os of keeping horses as a soldier far out- 

 weigh the cons, but this question is certainly one 

 of the latter. The soldier is always on the move, 

 and he cannot buy quantities of hay and oats, etc., 

 when they are cheap and store them. Again, he 



