INFINITESIMAL TIPS. 127 



says he never lias tlie frog touched with a knife ; but, if not abso- 

 lutely watched, smiths will, under tlie pretense^of removing "ragged 

 dead hom," thin the sole. I am curious on this subject, as last sea- 

 son I possessed a hunter with absolutely pummiced soles, which im- 

 proved immensely in the three months that I owned him, one foot 

 regaining the normal appearance, although in both the coffin bones 

 had descended when I bought him, as a stop • gap and as an expei'i- 

 ment. I much regretted that I parted with him, but a severe acci- 

 dent was accountable for that. Capt. Gillon is of my way of think- 

 ing. "Would he tell us whether the material for shoes which he 

 mentions is procurable in England 1 He, like myself, has given the 

 system a fail* trial. 



Suaviter in Modo also agrees with me, for his harness shoe is the 

 modified Charlier, with which I have shod many thin-soled horses 

 until the sole grew thick. Apropos of his remarks on curby hocks, 

 I may say that several years ago I bought a remarkably clever young 

 Irish mare, fired for curbs, and with curbs which appeai-ed callous. 

 At the end of a season of Charlier hind shoes, the enlargements were 

 absorbed ; and I sold her to a dealer at the end of the next. Finally, 

 Mr. Gr. Johnson is specially happy in his remark, that in most forges 

 " the quantity of iron employed far exceeds that of common sense." 

 To turn from this well-worn subject to a fresh one, will H. H. kindly 

 tell me whether his hunters can eat Goode's luncheon cake out hunt- 

 ing with a double bridle in their mouths 1 I find that I must make one 

 more remark on these weary shoes. Suaviter in Modo misunder- 

 stands me as regaixls three nails only to a shoe. I use three nails in 

 the tips, of which I have given a sketch (there is hardly room for 

 more), and it was to these infinitesimal tips only that I referred. 



HORSE-SHOEING THE CHABLIER V. THE OLD SYSTEM. 



Sir, — The views expressed by W. J. R. in your recent issues much 

 according with experiences which I have derived fi-om an eight years' 

 practical use of the Charlier system, carried out under my own per- 

 sonal supervision, it may not be uninteresting to consider the question 

 by the application to it of governing principles ; for after all there 



