The ordinary method of Frosting is by taking a Shoe off, heating it, and turning up the Heel and Toe; but this being Iron only, it lasts, for any efficient purpose, but a short time; and if hard worked, the same process must be repeated almost daily, as long as the Frost continues.
It is evident that the Hoof must suffer most severely by such a continued and repeated perforation with the Nails; so that if a Frost should happen to last a Month or two, it is probable there would be scarcely horn enough left to nail a Shoe on with safety. When Frosting is required, I have found that by Steeling the Heels, and if a Draft Horse, the Toes also, that they will last considerably longer, and consequently diminish the frequency of Driving Nails. A much shorter Rough will answer, and the usual head will not need to be so much altered.—Goodwin on Shoeing Horses, 8vo. p. 280. 1824.
The usual charge for Roughing the Shoes of Coach Horses, is 2s. 8d. per Horse.
To perform the operation so sensibly recommended by Mr. Goodwin, will cost but little more, and the Shoes will certainly last much longer.
Mr. T. Clark recommends the following plan:—
“When the Roads, &c. are covered with Ice, it becomes necessary to have the Heels of the Shoes turned up, and frequently sharpened, in order to prevent Horses from slipping and falling. As this cannot be done without the frequent moving of the Shoes, which breaks and destroys the crusts of the Hoofs where the Nails are drove, to prevent this, I have always recommended to those who were willing to be at the expense, to have Steel Points screwed into the Heels or quarters of each Shoe, which might be taken out and put in as required.
“The method of doing this properly, is first to have the Shoes fitted to the shape of the Hoof; then to make a small round Hole in the extremity of each heel, or in the quarters, about three-eighths of an inch in diameter or more, in proportion to the breadth and size of the Shoe: in each of these holes a screw is to be made: the Steel points are likewise to have a screw on them exactly fitted to that in the Shoes. Care must be taken that the Screw on the points is no longer when they are screwed into the Shoe than the thickness of the latter. The Steel points are to be made sharp; they may either be made square or triangular. The height of the point above the Shoe should not exceed half an inch for a Saddle Horse: they may be made higher for a Coach Horse.
“The Key or Handle that is necessary to screw them in and out occasionally, is made in the shape of the Capital letter T, and of a sufficient size and strength: at the bottom of the handle there is a socket or cavity, properly adapted to the shape of the Steel point, and so deep as to receive the whole point that is above the Shoe. In order to prevent the screw from breaking at the neck, it will be necessary to make it of a gradual taper: the same is likewise to be observed of the female screw that receives it; that is, the hole must be wider on the upper part of the Shoe than the under part: the sharp points may be tempered or hardened, in order to prevent them growing too soon blunt; but when they become blunt, they may be sharpened as at first. These points should be unscrewed when the Horse is put into the Stable, as the Stones will do them more injury in a few minutes there, than a day’s riding on Ice. A Draught Horse should have one point on the Toe of each Shoe, as that gives him firmer footing in drawing on ice; but for a Saddle Horse, when they are put there, they are apt to make them trip and stumble.”
OF THE
COMPARATIVE EXPENSE AND ADVANTAGE
OF
| HIRING A HACKNEY COACH. | KEEPING A PRIVATE CARRIAGE. | ||||||||||||||||
| 1. A Hackney Coach, for the business of the moment, to rest your Legs, or shelter you from the Weather, may be had for the ¹⁄₆₉₀₀th part of the Annual Expense of a Private Carriage. Think o’ that, ye Lame and ye Languid! for ye are the Grand Patrons of Ponies, Perches, Whips, and Wheels—Bless your Stars that you are in a Country where, although it costs Three Thousand Four Hundred and Fifty Shillings to keep a Coach for Half a Year, that you can Hire one for Half an Hour, for Twelve Pence! which you may command in all respects as absolutely as if it was your own. | 1. A Private Carriage costs (see [Estimate No. IV.]) £345 per Annum, i. e. 6900 shillings a Year. | ||||||||||||||||
| 2. A Hackney Coach is almost always to be had in a few Minutes, except in the lamentable instance of a pelting shower. | 2. Your own Horses and Carriage cannot be brought round in less than 25 minutes after you order it: even if it and the Harness are all clean and ready, an active Coachman cannot dress himself and put to in less time,—and Your Own Coachman may be Ill,—or not ready for Action,—Your Horses may be Sick,—or your Carriage may be broken:—moreover, if that prime minister of the machinery of Locomotion has not previous notice that you will want the Wheels to go round, if he is not a marvellously steady Man, it is an even chance, that, making sure you will not require his services, he will imagine he may emigrate from his Hay-Loft with impunity, and be frisking about after his own Affairs. | ||||||||||||||||
| 3. The Hackney-Coachman’s Motto is the same asMadam Hecate’s,
“Fair is Foul, and Foul is Fair.” He is well pleased to wait for you, at all Hours, and in all Weathers, Cold or Windy, Hot or Rainy, as long as you are pleased to wish him;—when you have kept him long in the Rain, if you give the poor fellow Six or Twelve pence extra when you discharge him, (can you lay them out better?) it will make him as well satisfied with waiting in the Wet for you, as your own Servant would, in a similar situation, be ill satisfied! | 3. Gentlemen’s Equipages are generally Fair-weather Play-things.—If you have your Carriage outin Wet Weather, and are obliged to keep it waiting in the Rain—if you have a Coachman,a Coach Horse, or a Carriage, either one of which are Good for any thing—if you are Goodfor any thing Yourself, you will not feel quite contented, however comfortably shelteredby a good Roof, or however agreeably you are surrounded by good Company, whilst they areexposed to the inclemency of the Sky. Mem.—A Waiting Job, in cold rainy weather,may cost you not merely a pair of Horses worth a Hundred Pounds! but the Life of an usefulServant into the Bargain!! For One London Coachman or Coach horse that dies fromover-work, an Hundred are destroyed by standing still in Cold and Wet Weather. | ||||||||||||||||
4. Persons who keep a Carriage in London, on an averageseldom go above 8 or 10 Miles per day, or havetheir Carriage out more than 3 Hours in the 24:—to hire a Hackney Coach to do such work every dayin the Year, will cost 10s. per Day, or £182. 10s. per Annum. The Expense of keepinga Carriage, as per [Estimate No. IV.]
It appears, therefore, that it is more convenient and much Cheaper,even if you employ it as often as you would your own Carriage, to hire a Hackney Coach, thanit is to keep a Private Carriage; and if you only hire a Hackney Coach when you really want it,if your Ten-toed machinery is in tolerable condition, instead of your Hackney Coach hire costingyou £182. 10s., you may have as much riding as your Business really requires, for £100. a Year:moreover, your Health will be better preserved than if you walked less and rode more; the additionalExercise will ensure the more perfect performance of those interesting “Opera Minora Vitæ,”“Eating, Drinking, and Sleeping!”
“Weariness Can snore upon the Flint, when nesty Sloth Finds the down pillow hard.” Shakespeare. If you keep a Carriage, you will often be as much tempted to Ride, merely becauseyou can ride for nothing, as from any actual want you feel of the assistance of the Wheel-work. Walking is the natural and the best Exercise that Man can take; and, however those whowalk may occasionally envy those who Ride, the Gentleman in the Coach would often gladly give more than it costs him to keep it,to have the power of using his own Legs.—Dr. Franklin advised a friend to burn hisCarriage, that he might get heat out of it at least once in his Life. | 4. In the Estimate ([No. IV.])you have the Service of the Coachman occasionally, when he is not busy with his Horses and Carriage—andif you keep a sharp lookout that your Carriage is kept in a good state of Repair, you will very rarelybe liable to those Accidents which sometimes happen to the infirm Constitution of a Hackney Coach:moreover, you will be moved about not merely with more Safety and more Celerity, but withmore Comfort, from knowing that you have a Pilot whomyou may depend upon:—the latter is an extremely important consideration to those whose business callsthem to places which are crowded with Carriages. When you wish your Mind to be active, and to do itsbest, it should have nothing before it except the single object under its consideration; and the Bodyshould also be at Ease:—this, and the saving of time in passing from one place to another, are thechief benefits a Carriage affords to Men of Business. Again: it is a Rule with Hackney-coachmen totake the shortest route; the consequence is, that as they naturally desire to perform their task assoon as possible, if they think half a dozen yards are to be saved by it, unless specially directed,they will bring you through all the nasty, narrow, badly ventilated and badly paved Lanes, &c.which they can find, and which, if you understand the value of Fresh Air, you would studiously avoid. These vehicles are often used to convey sick people to Hospitals, especially Coaches: Chariots aremore easily ventilated, on account of their Front windows. Never get into a Hackney Coach that hasthe Windows shut up, if there is one on the Stand of which the Windows are open;—stagnant Air isalways Offensive, and often Infectious. | ||||||||||||||||