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MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY. 
essential value in the service of man. Unfortunately these 
are but too often liable to disease ; and the animal afflicted 
with maladies of those parts is not only rendered less useful 
to his possessor, but also less valuable in the market, as 
the extremities embrace the entire apparatus of progressive 
motion, and consequently that action in which mankind are 
chufly interested in this useful animal. 
To thoughtless and reckless masters, and careless, cruel, 
and unthinking servants, this noble animal owes many 
of his complaints, both internal and external. And what 
is revolting to every humane mind, is, after the poor 
animals are afflicted with a painful disorder, their unfeeling 
masters too often continue to subject them to hard work 
while they are labouring under acute suffering. Let any 
man who has had a severe sprained ankle fancy to himself 
that he was compelled to carry a heavy burden, or remove 
a quantity of stones from one part to another by means 
of a wheel-barrow, or suppose he were even forced to walk 
at all, and what would be his sufferings! The probability 
is, he would be utterly unable to perform one or the other 
task. But the poor horse has four legs, and probably 
three of these are sound, and he is thereby not only able 
to stand, but also to perform progressive motion ; but every 
time the lame limb is put to the ground and borne upon, 
his sufferings are equal to, if not worse than what man 
himself would feel. 
It is the interest of every man to have his lame horse 
rendered sound as speedily as possible; and this, in most 
cases, cannot be effected without allowing the animal a 
cessation from labour; and it is monstrous cruelty to subject 
a horse to labour whilst under the influence of a painful 
malady. The finger of contempt should be pointed at all 
such unfeeling wretches. 
