234 CARE, TREATMENT, &C. OF THE RACE-HORSE. 
“ In removing shoes from bad (weak) feet, (for the purpose of 
plating them) the smith should first knock up the clinches with 
one end of the buffer, and then with the other start the nails, 
and afterwards draw them out with the pincers, one by one. 
“In putting on the plate, it will be observed, that, if the horse's 
shoes should not have been removed for three weeks, the hoof 
will have grown, and from the action and weight of the horse, 
the shoe will in some degree have imbedded itself into the foot. 
To this foot, nothing should be done if it can be avoided; but 
the plate will lie within the seat or bed formed by the shoe, which 
will support and assist in keeping it in its place, though some¬ 
times it may be necessary to run the rasp lightly round the edge 
of the crust." 
The sizes of nails generally used for plating, are from Nos. 4, 
5 and 6. 
“If a horse, after running, has a long way to walk from the 
course, his plates should be carefully taken off and his shoes put 
on. When he walks home in his plates, it is a practice with 
some grooms to have the plates removed in the stable, and let the 
animal stand bare-foot. Of this I do not approve. Ahorse can 
bear his own weight, and stand or move about in his stall or box, 
with much more ease to himself when his shoes are on." 
“ It used to be the custom (and a very excellent one) to fo¬ 
ment a horse's legs and feet after running. I should, after that, 
put wet pads round the crust of the fore-feet, and stop the bot¬ 
toms with wet tow, before the stables are shut up at night." 
“If a horse's feet are weak and low, and he has to run on 
hard ground, it would be advisable to let him run in his shoes." 
This brings us to the conclusion of Mr. Darvill’s work, or, at 
least, to the end of those parts of it that more immediately con¬ 
cern the veterinarian. In making any comment upon the per¬ 
formance, it must be borne in mind that Mr. Darvill has not only 
had to enter on a new field of literary instruction, but has, 
avowedly, had to set about the task under many disadvantages; 
and has, finally, done so with very modest and humble preten¬ 
sions. He does not aspire to enlighten the circles at Newmarket: 
he simply professes to delineate the various trodden paths lead¬ 
ing to a knowledge of training; and, considering the circum¬ 
stances under which he has made the essay, and the notorious 
difficulties that cross our way even in such apparently plain and 
straight-forward investigations, 
“ Difficile est communia dicere proprie 
we must say, we think that Mr. Darvill has some claims to the 
thanks of the profession. Our own, we freely award him; and 
wish him, in taking our farevvel of his first, like success through 
his second volume. 
