234 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM. 



Such men are not workmen ; they are bunglers : 

 they are not farriers ; they should have been 

 carpenters. 



It makes me feel hot and angry as I write this, 

 and feel inclined to dig my pen into the very paper, 

 wishing all the time that the paper were but one 

 of such so-called farriers. 



Another malpractice is also common amongst 

 farriers. They chop out the heel, so that when a 

 horse's foot is viewed from behind, after they have 

 been at work, it has the appearance of a very neatly 

 carved W. Of course that is also the custom. 

 Therein they speak the truth, sadly truthfully. 

 ]STow, since a circle is the perfection of form, and 

 perfection of form is perfection of strength, it well 

 accords with the rest of the work to destroy that 

 form. Take for example a wooden ring. So long 

 as it is intact, it is strong ; cut half an inch out of 

 it, and its strength is gone : it bends in and breaks. 

 This is precisely the effect which chopping out the 

 heel has upon the horse's foot. It bends in. 



Horn will grow, it is true ; we wish it to do so. 

 Its growth is the very life and soul of a sound, 

 good foot. 



If, however, a horse's foot is prevented from 

 wearing by means of a shoe, it is obvious that in 

 time it will grow too long, and it must therefore 



