CHAPTER VI. 



Mistakes of Blacksmiths and Grooms — Hard Roads 

 AND THE Consequences. 



So far this essay Las been written at wide intervals, delaying the 

 composition in order to try further experiments— the great object 

 being to have the theory corroborated by practice. My opportunity 

 for practice has been limited to a few horses, but, fortunately, these 

 were so different in their action that the paucity of numbers was not 

 such a drawback as it might have been. 



The opening chapter was published in the California S2nrit of 'the 

 Times, April 29th, 1876. During the last Summer the papers of 

 Great Britain have contained a number of articles on the abolition 

 of shoes on horses, the pai-ties advocating the measure showing 

 the benefit arising from the feet being untrammelled with iron. 

 Their opponents conceded this, but claimed the necessity for pro- 

 tecting the feet when the animals had to work over hard roads or 

 pavements. All which I have seen on the subject has foi'tified the 

 position I have taken, as the plan recommended in these papers gives 

 the same freedom, while it protects the only portion of the foot 

 which requires artificial protection. In this country there is another 

 element which enters into the calculation, and the question of the 

 effect on the action is one of so much importance that the soundness 

 of the feet in one class of horses is a secondary consideration. The 

 fast trotter is peculiarly American, and in England little is known 

 of his requirements. Here the track -horse represents an immense 



