THE 'GOODENOUGH' SHOE. 127 



the idea that I bring any accusation of intentional 

 cruelty against those who are entrusted with the 

 care of the horse's hoof. On the contrary, I am 

 sure that with very few exceptions, and those no 

 more than the inevitable ' black sheep ' which infest 

 every business and profession, the farriers, grooms, 

 and stablemen are really actuated with the best 

 intentions towards the horse, and simply follow the 

 traditions in which they have been brought up. 



Having in mind the praiseworthy object of 

 benefiting the horse, each inventor has recognised 

 the defects of existing shoes, and has tried to pro- 

 duce a shoe which shall be free from these defects. 

 The number of such shoes is so great, that I can only 

 mention one or two of the most prominent. 



Some years ago Mr. Goodenough, an American, 

 recognised the fact that the broad flat surface of the 

 shoe soon becomes so polished by friction that the 

 horse could with difficulty gain a purchase on smooth 

 ground, even if it w.ere dry and level, while on slop- 

 ing and wet ground the horse was nearly certain to 

 fall. So he invented a shoe which was scooped 

 beneath so as to present several sharp edges to the 

 ground instead of a continuous smooth surface. 



Here, then, was a recognition of a defect, and an 

 attempt to remedy it. The shoe attracted much 

 attention not only in America but in England, and I 



