Report of the Steward of the Horseshoeing at Wind/iur. 701 
question of horse-shoeing. It is too much to hope that in so 
short a time any sei'ious impression upon the evils of horse- 
shoeing can be made. The fact of the Society being migratory 
in its annual exhibitions has as yet prevented the effect of these 
competitions being noticed and compared with former practice 
in any district. But the stimulus given to local societies, many 
of which have now taken up the matter and are giving prizes, 
must have a tendency to break down the many prejudices 
surrounding this question, and I hope the Royal Agricultural 
Society may see its way for some years to encourage these com- 
petitions, until every district has received a visit from their Judges. 
Before closing this notice I would suggest that in my 
humble opinion the subject is now ripe for discussion by the 
veterinary profession. Would it be beyond their duties to take 
the lead, say together with the Farriers' Guild and others, in at 
least considering the advisability of forming a new society, to be 
called, I propose, The Associated Society of Forge-Farriers, who 
should grant certificates to competent men after full examina- 
tion, in the same way as several other organisations have been 
instituted, with much advantage to themselves and the public? 
Such a body would, I feel sure, receive considerable support not 
only from the profession and the shoeing-smiths themselves, but 
from the public generally, and the certificated smiths would 
soon command the confidence of owners of horses throughout 
the country. 
One of the greatest difliculties, I find, arises not so much from 
the forge-farriers as from the stupidity of grooms and men in 
charge of hoi'ses. The smiths say, " It is no use our shoeing 
horses as you wish us, and as no doubt they should be; the 
grooms will not have it ; and if we do not do as they require, our 
work is condemned to their employers, and the horses taken 
elsewhere." Until, therefore, we arrive at some sort of a 
standard system of shoeing, and the farriers obtain certificates 
under which they may safely be allowed to use more indepen- 
dent judgment than now, it seems to me almost impossible to 
eradicate the present pernicious cutting, rasping, burning, and 
filing abominations. 
Following the plan of last year, the Judges jDut a few ques- 
tions of a simple nature as to the construction and names of the 
various parts of the horse's foot, and, as before, the replies 
were of the most confused character. Only in two or three 
cases were the answers in any way satisfactory, which agaiq. 
clearly points to a serious lack of the most elementary education 
on the anatomy of the foot — a requirement which I am 
warranted in stating has never been properly estimated by ouv- 
