THE SHOE. 69 



larly on slippery grass-land, the sharp point of the catch 

 biting the surface of the ground most effectively. 



Clips. — For carriage and saddle horses and hunters, 

 each fore and hind shoe should have a clip drawn up at 

 the middle of the toe, except in special cases, as when the 

 horse overreaches, or, from being required to jump or any 

 other cause, is likely to strike any part of the back of the 

 fore-legs ; in which case the hind-shoes require to have a clip 

 at each side of the toe — none in the middle — the hoof in 

 front being allowed to project beyond the shoe ; the latter 

 should have all sharp edges carefully removed at this part, 

 particularly in the case of hunters. 



Clips, when judiciously placed, are of service in re- 

 taining the shoe, and so permitting the number of nails 

 to be diminished ; but, as a rule, they should be as few as 

 possible, as they are sometimes a source of injury to the 

 hoof, particularly if they are situated in too close prox- 

 imity to the nails. 



Varieties of Shoes. — Various forms of shoes have 

 been from time to time proposed with a view to prevent 

 slipping, but only those which have had their ground- 

 surface grooved, bevelled, or " toothed," have met with 

 any success. In recent times, an American shoe, the 

 " Goodenough," has had wonderful qualities claimed for 

 it in this respect. It differs but little from the common 

 hunting-shoe; it has several trivial projections cut on the 

 outer margin of its lower surface, which may prevent slip- 

 ping so long as they last, but in a very short time they 

 are worn away, and then it has nothing to recommend it 

 beyond the ordinary hunting-shoe. The shoe is made by 

 machinery. 



Mr. Gray, of the Mowbray Works, Sheffield, has intro- 

 duced machine-made shoes faced with steel, and grooved 

 into two or more sharp ridges on their ground-surface. 

 When fitted, these shoes are tempered ; consequently they 



