would seem almost as unsuitable as the iron shoes under consideration. Singular as the shape of these iron implements certainly is, we shall probably not be wrong in explaining them as veritable iron horse-shoes, such as Catullus refers to; and it is worthy of notice that at Springhead, where some were dug up at the same time and place, horse-shoes of the modern fashion were also found, as well as other objects in iron.' [1]
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| fig. 136 |
To what extent they may be worn by the Dutch horses I do not know; but from the shape of them, which that gentleman has kindly permitted me to copy from an interesting but unpublished work[2] (fig. 136), it will be seen that they are very different to the Roman productions, and not at all intended for every-day wear. They are only used, I presume, for travelling on deep snow, or on marshy land where there is danger of sinking, and never on firm ground. I have seen similar snow or bog shoes used on horses in the Highlands of Scotland in removing peat. In this respect, as well as in their form, they resemble the snow shoes of the North-American hunters and the Scandinavians. The so-called hippo-sandals could
