86 HORSES AND ROADS. 



down hill, without a brake on the wheels. Even 

 then he will do better than a shod horse. Here is 

 an extract from the ' Daily Telegraph ' of this year, 

 January 28, in an article on the weather then being 

 experienced : ' As the frost had not given way, the 

 wicked dew turned into glass as it fell in the hard 

 roads, beaten and worn smooth by the slipping 

 hoofs of the pitiable, but not much pitied, horses. 

 Many severe falls were consequent on the slippery 

 state of the carriage-ways and foot-paths ; and 

 traffic was much retarded in the busier thorough- 

 fares of the City. Those of the West-end were, 

 comparatively speaking, deserted ; for nobody having 

 horses of any value would willingly have had them 

 out at such a time.' One lady told the writer that 

 she could not use her carriage ' because her horses 

 could not stand roughing, as their hoofs were too 

 tender and delicate to bear the insertion of nails 

 oftener than once a month.' This lady only expressed 

 what hundreds of others felt. 



The patentees and advocates of the various 

 systems of cogs, &c., will say that all this might be 

 avoided if, at the approach of winter, people would 

 have their horses shod with their variously recom- 

 mended shoes ; but even if they were to do so (and 

 they do not, and will not), none of the systems are 

 perfect. Cogs, big or small, get worn smooth in a very 

 short time, and some of them fall out. In either 

 case they are found not to answer ; and they are not 

 generally used, or likely to be used, whilst they only 

 hold good for a day or so, and leave one ' stuck ' when 



