REVIEW. 
257 
Chapter XV discusses points of considerable interest to 
us, “The Absolute Necessity or indispensableness of Horse- 
shoes ; their evils ; means proposed to remedy them.” 
“Among those who have rendered themselves conspicuous 
by denying the advantages derived from shoeing, we may 
mention Professor Grognier. Speaking of the origin of 
shoeing, he says: c We cannot give the precise epoch of the 
invention of nail shoes; but everything conspires to the 
belief that it was at the time that sciences, letters and arts, 
became extinct in Europe. And of such an epoch it is a 
worthy product.’ The same author adds : e Luxury rather 
than necessity has given rise to shoeing. If shoes had been 
necessary for quadrupeds, Nature would have caused them 
to be born shod; weakness of hoof, and deformities and 
diseases which disfigure it, are nothing more than products 
of a practice fitted only to protect a delicate organ. 5 M. Rey 
winds up his observations on this score by saying: “For 
our own part, we regard the application of a shoe to the foot 
as the only means to protect the hoof, and render the horse 
serviceable to us.” 
In our eyes the matter amounts to this : firstly, that the 
horse in our pasturages is not furnished, by Nature with a 
hoof of the same' strength as, ranging in his wild state, he 
would be found at adult age to possess ; and, secondly, that 
even had he such a hoof as Nature in his wilds would pro- 
vide him with, it neither would nor could stand battering 
upon such artificial roads as we have constructed for him to 
travel upon. 
On the Changes produced by Shoeing in the 
form of the Horse’s Foot, the name of Bracy Clark 
stands pre-eminent as an authority. We are all of us ac- 
quainted with the famous experiment he made, running on 
to a period of five years ; we also know the conclusions he was 
led, at the expiration of the interesting period, to come to. 
Touching these, M. Rey observes : 
“ These experiments, interesting as they are, do not appear 
to us conclusive. They were made with English shoeing. 
They require to be repeated on several horses. And, more- 
over, it becomes necessary to compare the impressions made 
upon unshod feet submitted to similar treatment.” 
M. Godwin, in his 6 Guide da Vtttrinaire et du Marechal / 
