HORSE-SANDALS IN HOLLAND. 



319 



would seem almost as unsuitable as the iron shoes under 

 consideration. Singular as the shape of these iron im- 

 plements certainly is, we shall probably not be wrong in 

 explaining them as veritable iron horse-shoes, such as 

 Catullus refers to ; and it is worthy of notice that at 

 Springhead, where some were dug up at the same time 

 and place, horse-shoes of the modern fashion were also 

 found, as well as other objects in iron.' ' To what extent 

 they may be worn by the Dutch horses I do not know ; 

 but from the shape of them, which that gentleman has 

 kindly permitted me to copy from an interesting but 

 unpublished work^ (fig. 136), it will be seen that they are 

 very different to the Roman 

 productions, and not at all 

 intended for every-day wear. 

 They are only used, I pre- 

 sume, for travelling on deep 

 snow, or on marshy land where 

 there is danger of sinking, and 

 never on firm ground. I have 

 seen similar snow or bog shoes 

 used on horses in the High- 

 lands of Scotland in remov- 

 ing peat. In this respect, as 

 well as in their form, they re- 

 semble the snow shoes of the 

 North-American hunters and ^^- '^^ 



the Scandinavians. The so-called hippo-sandals could 



' C. R. Smith. Illustrations of Roman London, p. 146. 

 ' Letters from Holland. 



