"From a distance it looks like a piece of skin, from close up it looks like four hooves."
After entering the yard, while tying up the black horse, Zhu's father told Zhu Ping'an the key points of how to choose a horse. Of course, this was all what Zhu's father had heard. The Zhu family had never bought a horse in such a long time. However, it was obvious that Zhu's father had done his homework. At least this Shamatte black horse still looked very strong.
After seeing the black horse, mother Chen went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Today, Zhu's father came back early, and after tying up the black horse, he fed the big black cow with feed and water. This made the big black cow very proud, and it mooed at the black horse vigorously, as if showing off.
The Shamatte Dark Horse was disdainful of the big black bull's show-off. He swung his ponytail and circled around the pillar, seemingly with a good sense of rhythm.
After feeding the big black cow, the village blacksmith came to the Zhu family carrying a large box. This was an appointment made when Zhu's father was buying a horse in town. He had agreed to come in the evening to put horseshoes on the newly bought horse.
This black horse has just reached adulthood and has not yet been fitted with horseshoes. Zhu's father thought that Zhu Ping'an was going to the capital to take the imperial examination and might have to cross mountains and ridges on the way. Fitting the black horse with horseshoes would help it better adapt to the terrain.
A horseshoe is a piece of iron in the shape of a horseshoe, which is nailed directly into the horseshoe. The horseshoe is a stratum corneum, which is painless, just like a thickened human nail. The purpose is to prevent the horse from excessively wearing out the sole of the foot when walking or running, which would injure the horse's foot. Because the bottom of the horse's hoof is the horse's nail, which protects the horseshoe. In nature, the horse's nail can protect the horse's foot, but in the use of horses by people, the horse's nail is often worn out faster than the natural renewal. The purpose of nailing horseshoes is to protect the horse's feet, so that the horse can walk freely on various terrains as if on flat ground.
"I made this saddle when I was free. Consider it a gift for Ping An Lang." The blacksmith took out a saddle from the box, placed it on the back of the Shamatte black horse, and then demonstrated how to fix the saddle.
"Thank you, Uncle Sun, but I can't let your efforts go to waste." Zhu Ping'an bowed to express his gratitude, but still offered to pay.
Zhu's father was also a down-to-earth person, and he also said that he couldn't let Blacksmith Sun work in vain. He also had to pay him.
"If you insist on paying, then I will shoe the horseshoe." Blacksmith Sun shook his head and refused repeatedly, insisting on not taking any money on the grounds that he was not going to shoe the horseshoe.
"That won't do. We have to pay for the materials." Zhu's father said helplessly, taking a step back.
After declining for a while, Blacksmith Sun finally agreed.
Although the Shamatte Black Horse is a bit Shamatte and looks a bit arrogant, it still feels a bit spiritual. When Blacksmith Sun fixed the saddle on it, it just turned its head curiously and did not kick.
Although this Shamatte black horse has just reached adulthood, it does not seem to be repulsive to people and should be easy to ride.
Blacksmith Sun found a bunch of horseshoes from the box, as well as nails, hammers, badly bent knives, and other miscellaneous items. Zhu Pingan looked at the horseshoe curiously. It was in the shape of a horseshoe, like a small hole. There were seven holes around it, three on the left and four on the right.
Nailing horseshoes for the Shamatte black horses is hard work. Blacksmith Sun bent over and half-crouched on the ground. With the assistance of Zhu's father, he first used the severely curved knife to shorten the overly long horseshoe, then cut the front edge and the inside of the hoof into the appropriate shape, and then trimmed it with a file.
On the other side, there was a charcoal fire burning in the stove. Four horseshoes were selected according to the size of the horseshoes of the black horse and thrown into the charcoal fire to burn red.
The Shamatte Black Horse stretched its head out to watch all this with great curiosity. The horse's face was full of curiosity.
This guy was born with a big heart. If it were any other horse, it would have given up long ago.
Blacksmith Sun used a hammer to quickly hammer the horseshoe on the iron anchor to shape it. Then he clamped it with pliers and quickly pressed it on the horse hoof that Zhu's father had lifted up, leaving a mark. Then he threw the still hot horseshoe into the cold water to ice it, saying that it would increase the wear resistance of the horseshoe.
After that, the cooled horseshoes were placed on the horseshoes with marks, and nails were hammered in diagonally with a hammer. These nails were specially made to fix the horseshoes. After a while of hammering and hammering, Blacksmith Sun finally finished the job, and all four horseshoes were nailed on the horseshoes.
The Shamatte black horse curiously stretched out its hooves and tapped the ground frequently, seeming to be very comfortable. Its four hooves tapped the ground rhythmically, bouncing back and forth as it walked around the wooden stake.
The horse's face was raised high, and the side-parted hair on its head fluttered in the wind...
He looks like a proud and funny Shamatte.
After sending away blacksmith Sun, Zhu's father also fed the Shamatte black horse some hay sprinkled with salt water, and the black horse ate it happily.
Speaking of which, this Shamatte Black Horse didn't feel unfamiliar at all. He was like someone who knew everyone well and seemed to have adapted to this new home as soon as he entered. It has to be said that this guy has a big heart.
After the big black horse had eaten some grass, Zhu's father watched from the side while Zhu Ping'an tried to step on the stirrups and ride on the Shamatte black horse.
Uh, it's a bit heavy.
The Shamatte black horse turned his head to look at the poor creature riding on his back, which could only walk on its two hooves, and then lowered his head to continue eating his own grass.
After dinner, his mother Chen made a saddle pad with rabbit hair and coarse cloth overnight to prevent Zhu Ping'an from sitting on the cold saddle in the cold weather.
After making the cushion, mother Chen tied it to the saddle with straps, fixed it in place, touched it with her hand, and found it fluffy and warm. Satisfied, she put the saddle aside and let Zhu Ping'an sit on it to try it out.
"It's so warm, thank you, mom."
Zhu Ping'an put the saddle on a stool, sat on it to try it out, and found it soft, comfortable and warm. He couldn't help but thank his mother, Chen.
In the following time, in addition to reading books, practicing calligraphy, and writing eight-part essays, Zhu Ping'an also added a daily routine, which was to take his Shamatte black horse to the gentle hillside below the school to practice horse riding.
Before practicing horse riding, Zhu Ping'an would build relationships with this arrogant and funny dark horse whenever he had time, feeding it food, giving it water, and stroking its fur.
I have to say this guy has a big heart.
Every time Zhu Ping'an turned over and rode on the black horse, this funny Shamatte black horse would always turn its head to look, then spread its hooves and run away. When the Shamatte black horse spread its hooves, Zhu Ping'an had difficulty maintaining his balance at first while pulling the reins. Fortunately, the saddle and stirrups prevented him from falling off.
Having such a horse, in modern times, he would be considered a car owner, Zhu Ping'an thought to himself self-deprecatingly as he rode stiffly on the black horse. In modern times, people would envy, hate and be jealous of those second-generation people who had cars, but in ancient times, he could fulfill his wish.
"Hehehe... Zhu Ping'an, you're like a stupid toad stuck on a horse's back."
Just as Zhu Ping'an was stiffly practicing riding a horse, he suddenly heard a lark-like mocking sound coming from behind. (To be continued.)