THE HORSE—GENERAL CARE. 229 
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has first been in active exercise, and the feet should be thoroughly dried. 
Excessive washing and soaking is very injurious. To be sure, it is im- 
portant that the feet and legs be kept clean, but this can be so well done 
by thorough brushing and rubbing that frequent washing is unnecessary. 
Shoeing.—Few things in the care of the horse are so intimately as- 
sociated with his comfort and suffering as shoeing. Disorders arising from 
it are numerous and often impair or destroy his usefulness, as will be shown 
by a reference to the ailments treated in the preceding pages, particularly 
those of the extremities. For two reasons no detailed directions will be 
here given upon this important subject: First, the writer has noticed that 
such attempts in works similar to this have signally failed in imparting an 
The Foot dissected to exhibit Tendons, Blood- 
Vessels, and other Sensitive Parts. This, with cut 
198, shows that the Foot is very susceptible to In- 
SECTION OF THE Foor (see cut 173), ‘juries. 
intelligible idea of even what is needed, this doubtless being due to the 
fact that shoeing is a matter of practice, not to be learned in the first in- 
stance from books; second, even if it were possible to present an adequate 
treatise for the general reader, he would still be dependent upon the smith. 
If such smiths were to pay for the horses which they ruin by improper 
shoeing, it is doubtful whether they would have any profits whatever from 
this department of their handiwork. It is, however, urged that one do 
not intrust aservice of such great moment to an inexperienced man, but that 
he repair to one of known intelligence and skill, even if that involves the 
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