THE HORSE ON ICE. 73 



surfaces. A hoof which has been untouched by man 

 will scarcely ever slip. This is not theory, but a 

 proved fact, and here is a case in point. 



Mr. S. Chapin, of Lowell, Mass., U.S.A., is well 

 known for his love of horses, and for his practical 

 experience with them. Among his horses was one 

 which he had owned about seven years, and from 

 which, after considerable qualms, and against uni- 

 versal advice, he removed the shoes altogether. 

 After some experience he wrote as follows, dating 

 his letter December 15, 1883 : 



' I now drive my horse up hill and down, and 

 over pavements, crossings, &c. I never expect to 

 see a harder winter for ice than we had here in 

 Lowell last year, when some of my neighbours 

 sharpened their horses' shoes twice a week, and I 

 drove all the winter (and pretty sharp too) without 

 a shoe, and without slipping either.' I have before 

 me a long list of English gentlemen who have much 

 the same experience. 



Here is a curious example of the involuntary 

 homage done by man to nature. 



About four years ago, in the course of a conver- 

 sation with the late Mr. F. Fordham Flower, whose 

 successful crusade against the bearing rein is well 

 known, the question of ' roughing ' horses' shoes in 

 winter was mentioned. Mr. Flower said that there 



