254 THE PRACTICAL HORSESHOER. 



second of her best race record, and that with no preparation. 

 Tliese trials were all done in 'tips, and at Norwalk, Conn., 

 in 1886, Kitty trotted publicly in 2:26^, winning- a five-heat 

 race." 



^' Wherein do 3^ou think tips are chiefly to be preferred to 

 shoes?" was asked. 



^' Because they give a horse the use of the whole foot," 

 replied Mr. Bedford, " sole, frog- and horn, thus enabling- 

 the natural elasticit^^ to be fully exerted. I believe- they 

 tend to make a horse trot more squarely and keep the g-ait 

 natural. I know that in Kitty Patchen's case boots were 

 discarded after she was shod with tips, and her g-ait 

 improved visibly." 



*' Would you do away entirely with the reg-ulation shoe ?" 



'^ Most assuredl}^ My own experience convinces me that 

 for trotters and roadsters tips are the thing-. I drive m^^ 

 horses over all kinds of roads, and their feet keep in per- 

 fect condition. I have observed, also, that many draug-ht 

 horses in New Yoi-k and Brooklyn wear tips, and the^^ are 

 noticeable for the g'ood condition of their feet. If you will 

 examine the horses used b}^ the Havemeyer Sug-ar Refinery, 

 for instance, you will see that they do their heavy work in 

 tips." 



Among* the smiths of the metropolis that make and nail 

 shoes on fine road horses and trotters George Staples is 

 probably the most famous. Staples is a Ne\y Englander^ 

 who w^as for many years the foreman of Dan Mace's well- 

 known shop on upi)er Broadway. Though now in his 

 seventy-fifth year, Staples continues activel}^ at work and 

 has charge of an establishment on Fifty-eighth street, near 

 Broadway. This veteran knight of the forge has shod some 

 of the famous trotters, living and dead, and looked after 

 Maud S.'s feet when W. H. Vanderbilt owned her. 



When asked his opinion of tips, Mr. Staples said : ^^ They 

 are a very good thhig, but few people know anj^thing about 



