62 HORSES AND ROADS. 



has stated it to be his conviction that horses shod 

 a la Charlier will never have navicular disease.' 

 Neither could they get pumice foot, or other diseases, 

 attendant on the present popular mode of shoeing. 

 ' Impecuniosus ' conferred a favour upon horse owners 

 by communicating the favourable results of his ex- 

 perience ; but conservatism, bigotry, shoeing smiths, 

 and stable helpers were too much for him, and the 

 Charlier shoe or tip never got into extensive use, 

 although some people still constantly use it. The 

 difficulty is that, in the country, scarcely any one 

 can be found willing to put it on ; but, in London, 

 there are certain forges where it even finds warm 

 approbation. Mr. Stevens, M.R.C.V.S., Park Lane, 

 for one, is a strong advocate for it, and has a forge 

 on his premises where he accommodates all comers 

 with it. If owners in the country choose to have 

 their own way, the country smiths would be obliged 

 to succumb to pressure, although they would 

 grumble and oppose the shoe to their utmost: 

 they want no change, and they resist every innova- 

 tion. 



Messrs. John Smith er & Son, of No. 1, Upper 

 East Smithfield, wrote, in the ' Spectator ' of August 3, 

 1878 : 'Some weeks ago you noticed a controversy 

 then going on about horseshoes. Your well known 

 desire to help on the humane treatment of animals 

 leads us to hope that you will give us space to state 

 our experience. Some six or seven years ago we 

 began having our horses shod for the fore feet on 

 the Charher principle, or a method akin to it. We 



