322 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



or four times the quantity of iron that the Gallic or British 

 shoe did. Though not an equestrian nation, we must 

 give the Romans credit for common sense. As for their 

 working their horses all day without any foot-cover, and 

 applying these at night when they were not required, the 

 idea is perfectly absurd. This is admitting that these 

 articles were really intended to be attached to horses' feet ; 

 and that, though nail-shoeing was well known, and its 

 efficacy and simplicity were recognized, the Romans, or 

 the people among whom they were living, persisted in 

 expending four times the weight of iron, twenty times the 

 amount of labour, and a dozen times the quantity of 

 charcoal. 



But I cannot believe that these ' hippo-sandals ' were 

 ever made for sucli a purpose. Extremely few horses, if 

 any, could travel with those of the first class on roads, in 

 ascending or descending steep places, nor yet move at any 

 speed. The projecting fastening behind, and the inside 

 clip, as well as the insecurity and situation of the attach- 

 ment, and the weight of the iron, all forbid this supposition. 



For the second and third classes, I need only say that 

 horses could neither travel nor yet stand in them. With 

 far more reason might we expect two or three ranks of 

 soldiers to walk, run, and manoeuvre in close order with 

 Canadian snow-shoes on their feet, than to see a horse 

 walk, trot, and gallop with these so-called sandals. The 

 majority of the second class could not be put on the 

 hoofs, to begin with ; and none of the third class could, by 

 any possibility, serve such a purpose. A glance at the 

 shape of these will show this to be the fact. 



Besides, not one of those I have examined, though many 



