SHOEING COMPETITIONS. 123 



travel from sliow to show and generally appear in tlie 

 prize list. This handicaps the local men, and is not 

 encouraging to those who have not quite risen to front 

 rank. The object of the competition is to improve 

 the work of the district, and it is quite a question 

 whether the rules should not exclude men who have 

 taken, say, two first prizes at any large competition. 

 The only argument in favor of letting the well known 

 smith who has taken many prizes enter a comi)etition is 

 that his work may be seen, examined and imitated. By 

 confining prize winners to the champion class, this good 

 would be attained; at the same time, more encourage- 

 ment would be given to local men. 



The necessities for a competition include anvils^, 

 fires, tools, iron and horses. 



For every five men there should be one anvil, with its 

 accompanying vice and forge. The anvil should be so 

 placed that the sun is not full on the face of the work- 

 man. The exact relative position of anvil, vice and forge 

 should be entrusted to a practical farrier, an<l the whole 

 placed the night before they are wanted. Coal, nails 

 and iron should also be provided. If competitors are 

 allowed to bring their own iron or nails, some poor men 

 may be placed at a disadvantage, and the habitual com- 

 petitor, versed in every detail, is given an advantage. 

 Each man should bring all smaller tools he may want. 

 In broken weather a canvas roof should be supplied both 

 for horses and workmen. At all times, a temporary 

 wooden floor should be j)ut down for the horses to stand 

 upon. This should be a little longer than the line of 

 anvils, so that each man has his horse opposite his anvil. 

 It should be at least twelve feet deep, so that there is 

 room enough behind and in front of the horses for men 

 to pass. On the side farthest from the anvils a firm rail 

 must be fixed, to which the horses' halters may be tied, 

 and outside of this — at least six feet distant — should be 

 another line of post and rails to keep back spectators. 



Horses have to be borrowed or hired, and one horse 

 is sufficient for two competitors. Care should be taken 

 not to have any horse with unusually bad feet. The 



