Farrier

in a general acceptation of the term, any person who shoes horses, or profe es to cure their diseases. In a practical military sense a man appointed to do the duty of farriery in a troop of cavalry. Troop farriers should be under the immediate super intendance and controul of a veterinary surgeon, to whom they ought to apply whenever a horse is ill or lame, that he may report the same to the officer commanding the troop. No farrier should presume to do any thing without having first received directions from his superior. When the farrier goes round, after riding out, or exercise on horseback, he must carry his hammer, pincers, and some nails to fasten any shoe that may be loose. When horses at out quarters fall particularly ill, or contract an obstinate lamene , the case must be reported to the head quarters of the regiment; and if the veterinary surgeon cannot prescribe for him at a distance, he must, if time and distance will permit, be personally sent to examine the horse. No farrier should make up any medicine or any external application contrary to the receipt given him by the veterinary surgeon. If any farrier, through carele ne or inattention, lames a horse belonging to another troop, he ought to be at all the expence in curing the horse so lamed. In some well regulated cavalry corps this forms one of the standing regimental orders. Farriers are in every respect liable to be tried according to the articles of war. They may be ordered to inflict punishments; and they must constantly recollect, that the circumstance of being a farrier is no extenuation for dirty appearance, or excuse for drunkenne . The guilt of the latter vice, indeed, is aggravated by the responsibility of their situation.