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IT is a considerable Infirmity, when a horse cutteth himself or interfereth,* 1.1 that is to say, when he taketh off the hide or skin from his pastern-joint; The horse Merchants in Paris say, that a horse Cutteth his hose, or Spotleth his Silk Stock∣ins: it is therefore both necessary and convenient to know the means to prevent it, but before I give you the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which may be practised upon horses which Cut, I have
remarked that in buying horses, if they cross their legs much when they walk, peo•••• may conclude that they will be subject, in all appearance, to interfere; this is very p••••∣bable, but there is also something else in it, that is more considerable, which is, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those kind of Horses strike the one leg against the other in different parts of the legs, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that people cannot well perceive if they cut themselves, when they strike their legs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 one against the other after this fashion; for if it be upon a sore and tender part, they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 halt the next step after the stroke, by reason of the pain, and therefore people 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sometimes think that horses legs are spoilt, although they be very good, for the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which the stroke occasioneth, maketh him halt; And this way, of striking the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 leg against the other, is worse than if they Cut themselves, because for this there may•• a cure, but for that there is none. To prevent being deceived by it, never buy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ses which cross their legs after that manner upon a walk, although people may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 deavour to perswade you that they do not Cut themselves, for it is likely that wh•• they are weary they will first strike or Cut themselves, then halt, and perhaps af•••• wards (if they are put to a Gallop) go topsie-tursy.
Shoeing is the only means, whereby to help such horses as Cut, and it is easy to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it in the beginning while they are as yet but young, and that their not knowing h•• to ride, or rid their Limbs, as we say, is the cause of their Cutting.
There are four things which occasion a horse's Cutting himself; the First is wea•••• ness, the Second weakness in his Reins, the Third not knowing how to go, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his feet when Travelling, and Lastly his not being accustomed to travel nor su•••• in his step; now people may remede such kind of horses, or rather prevent their Cut∣ting. I might also add to these, his being badly or too old shoed, but I suppose that the horse be for the most part indifferently well shoed; So you see he may for o•••• of these four preceeding reasons cut himself, but it falleth out more frequently in the hind legs than in the fore.
If a horse then Cut himself through wearyness, I know no better remedy than to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him rest, and to feed him well; the Barbs, which are led in ones hand, easily 〈◊〉〈◊〉 themselves with one leg against the other, and almost alwayes Cut themselves, because they walk very coldly and negligently, which is contrary to other horses, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cut themselves, because they lift or raise their legs too high when they travel, which wearyeth and fatigueth them in a very short time, so that at length they Cut and••••∣terfere.
When people see a horse which Cuts himself, they should not at first sight conde•• him for it, until they have examined whether it may not have been some rivet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nail which hath occasioned it, or that the shoe exceedeth too much his Quarters, up the insides.
Every horse, which after a long journey hath not Cut himself, giveth a favour••s token and proof of his goodness; for there are but few, which after a long journ•• are not found to have Cut themselves, less or more.
This imperfection is easily known, for people at first view perceive the skin u•• the insides of the Pastern-joints to be cut, and many times galled to the very b•••• so that the horse frequently halteth with it, and hath his Pastern-joints also swelled.
If a horse Cut before, you are to cause take off his two fore shoes, and take very 〈◊〉〈◊〉 down the out quarter of each foot, and place the inner edge of the shoe so, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 follow exactly the Compass of his foot, without any ways exceeding it towards th•••••• in other shoe; then cut the spunges equal with the heel, and rivet the nails so exa•••• into the horn, that they may not at all appear above it; or that you may make 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rivets the more closs and flat, burn with the point of a hot Iron the horn a little 〈◊〉〈◊〉 low the hole of each nail, and then beat down and rivet them in these holes.
If the horse, after this method of shoeing, continue still to Cut himself, you are th•• to cause thicken the inner Quarters and Spunges of his shoes, to double the thickness these upon the outside, and pare alwayes very much down his out quarters, even al•••• to the quick; and without in the least touching those within, but be sure alwa•• to rivet the nails very justly and closs.
If he Cut behind, you are also to cause unshoe him, and pare down his Out-quart almost to the quick, give his shoes Calkins only upon the insides, and such a Turn•• may make them follow exactly the compass and shape of his Foot without exceed•• it, especially in the inner quarters, and above all rivet the nails exactly, for one sirt•• rivet will occasion a great disorder.
The large Mules, which Cut themselves behind, are worth nothing, and people••
apt to believe them stressed in their Reins. and unfit for any great service; unless that their Cutting and intersereing proceed, from their being very young.
Calkins, which are only used upon the insides of the hind-feet, are, generally speak∣ing, more advantagious, of greater use, and more Graceful, than those upon the out, as most people use them, and without any kind of reason, except it be for such horses as carry their Feet badly, and wear their shoes only upon the outsides: A Calkin upon the inside, maketh a horse to walk more open, more at his ease, and giveth his Leg also a more natural situation; unless, as I have said, you observe that he naturally wears and uses them only upon the outsides; for in that case, Calkins upon the insides are altogether needless, I mean still for the hind Feet.
For horses of Mannage, people give them no kind of Calkins at all, neither before nor behind, because as people have frequently occasion to make them passage upon Volts or Circles, if they were either fretful, or mounted by persons which are not very skilfull, they would in crossing their Legs infallibly give themselves Treads upon their Coronets, which will be so much the more severe, because of their being Calked, and may at last turn to Ulcers or Quitter-bones.
If, notwithstanding of all these precautions, your horse continue still to Cut, if for example he be a young Coach-horse, you are to cause do all to him which I have or∣dered, that is, take very much down his Out quarters, give him Calkins upon the insides, cause the shoes answer exactly the inner Quarters of his Feet, and drive no nails at all upon the insides, but only make a Beak at the toe to keep the shoe firm in its place, and continuing this method for some time, the horse will learn to walk, rid his feet, and interfere no more, although he be afterwards shoed after the ordinary fashion; or otherwayes, Rest, if he be very much fatigued, will recover him; but if none of these will do, then for last recourse, cause shoe him after the Turkish Fashion: If you are upon a journey, after you have caused shoe your horse in that manner, you must make use of an invention practised by the Messengers of Normandy, who put little Boots of Leather or Felt about the Pastern joynts, and there fasten them to pre∣serve those parts; the pieces of Felt or old hat, whereof these little boots are made, are cut narrower at the top than bottom, and therefore are only made fast at Top; at first horses find difficulty to walk with them, but in a short time they will be accustomed to it, although the invention, I confess, be both very ugly, and causes also many times the pastern-joynts to swell, or at least makes the horse to walk with a bad Air or Grace.
If you have led horses, which are thus subject to Cut and Interfere, you must cause wrap a piece of Sheep or Lamb skin with the wooly side turn'd next the horse, about his pastern joynt, and when that is used and worn, apply a new one.
Horses, which have tender and delicate Feet, and that unluckily come to loose their shoes upon the Road or Fields, where they are far from any Smith, run the hazard of spoyling and loosing their Feet; you are therefore in that case, to wrap a piece of an old hat about your horse's Foot, and to lead him in your hand, until you find an oppor∣tunity again to shoe him.
There is an invention of shoes, that may be accomodate to all sizes of Feet, and which are made fast without Nails, only by the assistance of a raised border, which binds and environes the horn quite round the Foot, then it is made fast with a Vice, which so screws it together, that the foot is enclosed within it as in a Box; these shoes are of no use neither for the Countrey nor Streets, and the Sieur Frederick Grison, hath given the design of them in his Book of Horsemanship, although very imperfect∣ly, and where there are a great many things, both to be rectified and added.
A Countrey Gentleman, observing that his horse had lost a shoe, pulled off one of his Boots and put his horse's Leg in it, least he should have spoylt his Foot, and thus made his Entry into a great Town. I saw once a horse, in one of the best Academies in France, that rode in Leather shoes, because his hoofs were not strong enough to carry those of Iron. The French have neglected to treat of this subject, which is not how∣ever to be undervalued; the Italians have writ very learn'dly of it, and if you are cu∣rious, you may enquire for a Book intituled. Il Trattato, del Ferrares Cavalli con i ferri in dessegno di Caesaré Fiaschi nobile Ferrare se, but in my opinion he sayes both too much and too little: I am therefore hopefull, that the little I have said upon this subject, will be sufficient for your use, especially if you take the pains to read it, and under∣stand the different methods; for there are many People, who would with all their heart know and understand things, but few who will give themselves the trouble to learn them.
However, to prevent the trouble, which bad Feet occasion in shoeing the•• according to Order and Method, a man should alwayes endeavour to b•• such Horses as have them good, and so very good, that your Smith, altho•••••• extraordinary ignorant, cannot possibly spoyl them.
CHAP: XLVII How to shoe horses which cut or inter∣fere.