APPENDIX TO SECOND EDITION. 165 



REASON FOR SHOEING. 



The only good reason for shoeing a horse is that he 

 has been shod. This is about as valid as the analogous 

 excuse for a man's drinking whiskey. The man who has 

 taken his regular " nipper " every day would be hardly 

 fit for business for some days, weeks perhaps, after 

 breaking off from the practice. Nevertheless, he had 

 better break it off. No horse that has been long abused 

 with iron shoes, and the paring and coring submitted 

 to at the hands of even the most reasonable, or rather 

 the least unreasonable, blacksmith retains anything 

 like the natural foot in shape, or fitness for hard 

 work. To take off his shoes and continue his regular 

 work would (supposing this to be severe, as in the 

 livery, for instance, or hard pulling over ordinary 

 roads) result in great temporary inconvenience ; al- 

 though he would come out ahead finally. But when- 

 ever it is practicable to " favor " them (more or less, 

 and for a longer or shorter time, as the case may be) 

 there will never be found an instance of failure to 

 accomplish a great and permanent benefit by taking 

 off the- shoes " for good." 



Thus far we have dealt very little in theory ; but 

 have shown that, in practice, the less shoeing the bet- 

 ter : i. e., the lighter the shoes, the more closely we 

 hold to the " tips " when any irons are used ; the 

 longer the barefoot season (if resort must be had to 

 shoeing at certain seasons or under certain circum- 

 stances), the better it will be for the horse, and, con 



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