His equestrian monument in
Bomberg Dom was, in consequence, hardly made before the year 1087.
Notwithstanding that the Huns had been defeated 500 years before on
the plains of Catalania, the horse of the above mentioned monument
carries, as I have convinced myself personally, Hunish horseshoes,
modified, however, by blade-shaped calks just then coming into use.
This is proof that, at least in Hungary, the Hunish method of shoeing
was preserved an extraordinary long time. By this it has not become
improbable that at least the many shoes of this kind which were found
on the Lechfield come, not directly from the Huns, but from their
successors, the Hungarians, whose invasions took place in the first
half of the tenth century.
About the same time of the Hungarian invasions, the Normans began to
disturb the southwestern part of Europe with their Viking expeditions.
Their sea kings seem to have been equestrians at very early times, and
to have had their horses shod, although perhaps only in winter; at
least the excavation of the Viking ship in 1881 disclosed the remains
of a horse which was shod. The shoeing consisted only of a toe
protection--"Brodder" (Bruder, Brother)--provided with a small sharp
calk, and fastened by two nails.
Pages:
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89