10 



HISTORY OF HORSE-SHOEING. 



were driven through the wall of the toe and clenched (figs. 

 4 and 5). This shoe was found in the so-called " Schwartzen 

 Bodenart," 18 inches below the surface ; also in different cairns 



Figs. 4 and 5. — The most ancient NOitliern shoe, seen from hi front anil from Ijelow. a, toe- 

 piece or grip ; b, points wliich were driven thronj^h the wall of the toe. 



in Scandinavia, and in Christian graves, as well as in the Viking 

 ship discovered in Sandefiord, Norway. The horse's skeleton 

 which was excavated had a similar shoe on each foot. In 

 certain parts of Finland these shoes are still used, under the 

 name of Biskari.* So far as we can judge, this broddar shoe 

 was intended more to prevent slipping than for general use. 



The first written descriptions of shoeing are found in the 

 Military Eegulations of Emperor Leo IV. of Constantinople 

 (ninth century), in which crescent-shaped shoes with nails are 

 specially mentioned. French investigators believe that the 

 farrier's art was introduced into the West Eoman Empire at 

 the time of the barbaric invasion by some Germanic race. 



After the ninth century shoeing with nails became general, as 

 is shown by precise references. According to Goyau and others^ 

 the old law-books like the Code Venedofien, Sachsenspiegel, and 

 Gottesfrieden contain passages referring to horse-shoeing. 



Duke Boniface of Tuscany, on his marriage in 1034, had his 

 horse shod with silver shoes. In 1130 the horse of the 



* Liingwitz refers to a very old Finnish shoe which was sent to him by Herr 

 Grossman, teacher of farriery in Dorpat. It is only a semicircle, and seems to 

 have been used for the outer half of the hoof. It has a low calkin at either end^ 

 and was fastened with nails. 



