240 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM. 



time a very good-looking, well-bred mare, whose 

 feet were somewhat contracted. I had bought her 

 cheap, otherwise I should not have taken her into 

 my stable. After she had been shod on the 

 ' Charlier ' system for some four months her feet 

 had nearly recovered their normal size, having ex- 

 panded to the extent of about one-sixteenth of an 

 inch. Had I persevered with her, I doubtless 

 could have brought them back to their proper size ; 

 but I sold her to a friend, and I regret to say she 

 had to be shot very soon afterwards, her leg having 

 been broken by a kick from another horse. This 

 is only one of several instances which I could 

 adduce to prove the advantage of the system. 



I should not, however, advise that a horse should 

 be at once put fully on to ' Charlier ' shoes, but 

 rather that they should be adopted gradually, the 

 depth of the groove being made deeper at each 

 successive shoeing, until the full depth is reached. 

 My reason for saying this is that, as a rule, horses' 

 feet have been so pared and tinkered about, and the 

 sole, from disuse, become so weak and shrunken, 

 that they are not in a fit condition to be at once put 

 on to the ground and to do their proper work. In 

 three months, however, they should be quite ready 



for it. 



The legs and feet of a horse which is properly 



