... day of the dog

SIR – My father became nervous many years ago when his new job involved visiting farms where dogs were running loose (“Anxious people more likely to be bitten by dogs”, report, February 3).

He was told by an old countryman to place parings from horses’ hooves in his trouser turn-ups, and after that he entered farmyards with no ill effects.

I doubt if this would be of help to our modern post-person. One reason is that ours usually wears shorts. Janette Leech

Boston, Lincolnshire