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. De Witt's complete American farrier and horse doctor ... with copious notes from the best English and American authorities ... he is to travel, but by the rapidity of his motion, the pecu-liarities of his pace, and the innumerable circumstances whichgovern the condition of his feet themselves! When he is made abeast of burden or of draught, and natures load is artificially AND HORSE DOCTOR. 09 increased, the wear and tear is multiplied, and the science of manis necessarily called in to provide as well as may be for the wastewhich the uses of civilization have occasioned. Doubtless the first
. De Witt's complete American farrier and horse doctor ... with copious notes from the best English and American authorities ... he is to travel, but by the rapidity of his motion, the pecu-liarities of his pace, and the innumerable circumstances whichgovern the condition of his feet themselves! When he is made abeast of burden or of draught, and natures load is artificially AND HORSE DOCTOR. 09 increased, the wear and tear is multiplied, and the science of manis necessarily called in to provide as well as may be for the wastewhich the uses of civilization have occasioned. Doubtless the first aim of the early farriers was to prevent thetoo rapid waste of the hoof, but a mere iron sole, while it wearsaway less slowly than the horn, communicates every shock andblow with rigid firmness to the complicated and delicate structureabove it, and hence arose appliances, more or less effective, for thesupport of the yielding hoof, to prevent its spreading or cracking,tb give it a firmer hold on hard or slippery ground, and to placeits more sensitive and easily injured parts at a safer distance fromblows and possible Fig. 1.—section of the parts entering into the composition of thefoot and the fetlock and pastkhn-joints. A. Os suffraginis. B. Os coronas. C. Os pedis. D. Os naviculare. E. E. The perforans and perforatus tendons. H. Cleit of frog. I. Side of froj cleft. J. Sole. K. Crust. L. Coronary substance. G. Inferior sesamoideal ligament. 70 THE COMPLETE AMERICAN FARRIER Thus much attained, or thought to be attained, and for ages theamount of further improvement has been small indeed, so far asthe immense majority of cases is concerned, and we may now set-tle down to the belief that the only perceptible gain will be madein diffusing a more general spirit of inquiry and independenceamong horse-keepers and owners, with an equally general disposi-tion to rebel against laziness, quackery and traditional prejudiceson the part of the farriers. ^ With that end in view, an
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjecthorses, bookyear1870