MISCELLANEA. 
579 
Tit for Tat. 
In the 10th number of Les Nouveautes Economiques , there is 
an extract from the report of a Frenchman who had been in 
England to purchase horses. He says that out of about a thou- 
sand of these animals which he examined, he found 430 in train- 
ing for the turf, and that he did not see one among them without 
spavin, splent, bent-hock, his fore-legs too close, contracted feet, 
curbs, 8cc. ; and for each of these villanous beasts they asked 
from 250 to 400 guineas. 
He speaks afterwards of some horses which he purchased, 
and he concludes with the following assertion : “It is vain that 
I have searched for a stallion well limbed and of good figure. 
The union of these qualities is no longer to be found in England, 
and perhaps may be reckoned among the things that are im- 
possible. 
On the other hand, according to M. de Biel, the English say 
that the Russians purchase every grey and black horse they meet 
with, without regarding the blood or the bone, the muscles or the 
proportions. The Germans look for a good head and a good tail, 
without regarding blood or bone, muscle or proportion. It is 
difficult to say what a Frenchman regards — generally nothing; 
for he will buy a horse without blood, or bone, or muscle, or co- 
lour, or head, or tail, or any proportions at all. 
The true Arte of Paring and Shooyng all Manner 
of Horses; together with the Shapes and Fygures 
of dyuers Shoes, very necessarye for dywers 
Horses. ( Bln cleville.) 
If In ivhat poy rites the arte of shooing cloth consist. 
The First Chapter. 
The art of shooying consisteth in these poyntes, that is to say, 
in paryng the horse well, in making the shoe of good stuffe, in 
well fashioning the webbe thereof and well pearsing the same, in 
fitting the shooe vnto the horse’s foote, in making nayles of good 
stuffe, and well fashioning of the same ; and, finally, in well 
dryuing of the sayde nayles, and clenching of the same. But 
neyther paring nor shooing is no absolute thing of itselfe, but hath 
respect vnto the foote or horse (for the shoe is to be fitted to 
the foote, and not the foote to the shoe), and there be dyuers 
kinds of horses, both good and badde, requiring great diuersitie 
as well of paring as shooing. 
Printed in the year 1566. 
