Page:Horses and roads.djvu/173

 Rh all had infirmities, which consisted in knuckling over and falling when trotted on hard roads, incipient side bones, brittle hoof, cutting, legs that were always swollen, chronic laminitis, corns, and inability to keep up a gallop through ploughed lands. He shod them on all fours with either short Charlier shoes or tips, and they were all either greatly benefited or else cured of these unsoundnesses. One of these horses he sold to a gentleman, who immediately had him full shod in the ordinary manner. The horse again became as unsound as ever. People read the Field and neighbours looked on at it all, but it taught no one any lesson. ‘Impecuniosus’ wrote in the sand for the ‘ruck;’ but not so, however, for the present writer, who had the thing quite as closely at heart as had that estimable gentleman himself, and followed him up (although then abroad) with the greatest interest, with the vain idea that he was going to bring about a reform. A decade has since passed away, and nothing has resulted from his efforts. It appears as if he was then ahead of the age—so, possibly, may his imitator be now; but ten years make a difference in enlightenment;  and everything should march with the age. If the present appeal should still prove abortive, at all events the subject will have been kept upon the surface, and thus it will again be taken up by someone else in due time; and whenever this happens the intervals will be found to be shortened by the onward march of intellect and science, if not of common sense.