AXOTHEE EXPERIMENT. 185 



risk of nail-pricks, corns, over-reaches, seedy toes, 

 contracted feet, and probably of splints and side 

 bones ; I therefore think that these horses are 

 likely to work much longer than if shod.' 



This letter is a peculiarly valuable one, because it 

 contains a practical answer to almost every objection 

 that can be made. That the horse ' Prince ' was an ex- 

 ceptional animal is answered by the success with the 

 second horse. That an unshod hoof would be cut 

 to pieces on a newly-mended road is disproved by 

 practice ; and, as the same horse was used for hunting 

 across country, for riding over roads, and for driving 

 a carriage in single harness, the unshod hoof is 

 shown to be equal to any kind of work. 



One more instance of the power of common sense 

 and perseverance. 



The following letter, narrating the history of a 

 horse transformed from a shod into an unshod 

 animal, is extremely valuable, as it shows w r hat can 

 be achieved by common sense when matched against 

 prejudice : 



' Marton, Rugby : June 5, 1882. 



'Dear Sir, In accordance with my promise, I 

 write you the result of driving my horse without 

 shoes. 



6 He was rising five years, and had been shod ever 

 since he was handled. He was a bad subject for the 



