626 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



doomed never to be adopted ; expensive machines have 

 been devised for the speedy manufacture of shoes of a 

 particular shape or quality of metal ; and individuals have 

 given various designations to eccentric or trivial deviations 

 from the ordinary pattern ; yet what is the result ? That, 

 with one or two exceptions, little change has been 

 wrought, and shoes resembling in shape those in use ages 

 ago are still in universal repute, and are not likely to be sup- 

 planted for some time to come ; while the mode of fasten- 

 ing them to the hoofs by nails, cannot, it appears, be 

 replaced by any other yet proposed. The reason for this 

 most probably depends upon the fact, that the supposed 

 improvements have been either too extravagant or specu- 

 lative in their aim, and gave rise to disappointment after 

 a brief trial ; or they were so elaborate, or unsuited to the 

 foot and its functions, that they could not be adopted. 



The shady aspect of civilization, as regards an artificial 

 existence, is manifested in the horse as palpably almost as 

 in man ; and of the many ills entailed upon this creature 

 by domestication and continual employment upon made 

 roads, none are more grievous, more frequent in their 

 occurrence, or more difficult to remedy, than those 

 attributed, directly or indirectly, justly or unjustly, to 

 shoeing. Hence the avidity with which any reasonable 

 proposal for the avoidance of these evils was jumped at, 

 and the inevitable reaction and disappointment which 

 ensued when they failed ; until now, so firmly established 

 has the present mode of shoeing become, the announce- 

 ment of any improvement seldom obtains more notice 

 than a smile of incredulity, or a hesitating and often pre- 

 judiced trial. 



