350 ACTION, HANDINESS, AND CLEVERNESS, 



adopted in Australia, which, like India, has a dry climate, 

 We should bear in mind that the abiUty which the horn of 

 the hoof has to stand wear, chiefly depends on the '' going" 

 being dry and comparatively soft. Enghsh trainers are 

 beginning to see that, when practicable, it is well to run 

 horses without shoes, but unfortunately the dampness of 

 our climate greatly hinders the success of this attempt. 

 The benefit to be derived from running horses unshod, is 

 principally due to the fact that the muscles of the limbs 

 act to greater mechanical advantage, when the hoofs are 

 in a normal condition, than when they are shaped ac- 

 cording to the conventional ideas of the ordinary black- 

 smith, who, as a rule, errs chiefly by omitting to sufh- 

 ciently lower the toes of the hind feet, which, then, are 

 consequently less upright than normal hind feet. This 

 mechanical question, which has been discussed on pages 73 

 and 74, is of much more importance with respect to the 

 hind feet, than to the fore, because the former play a much 

 larger part in propulsion, than the latter. As the posi- 

 tion of the rider puts more w^eight on the fore-hand, than 

 on the hind-quarters; the hind feet of the saddle horse 

 are less exposed to wear, than the fore feet. Hence a 

 trainer can often train and run his horses unshod behind, 

 although he may be obliged to have them shod in front, 

 which is a matter of minor consideration. 



I have mentioned, on page 88, that curb bits are 

 objectionable for use with race-horses, on account of 

 their tendency to make horses gallop " round," or to 

 " fight '' in their action. In the former case, the animal 

 will carry his head low and bring his chin into his chest, 

 with the object of transferring the pressure of the bit, 

 as much as possible, to his poll, over which the head-piece 

 of his bridle passes, and will consequently bend his knees 

 too much. In the latter case, the animal will keep his 

 head stuck up in the air, probably, in the vain attempt 

 to get his jaw away from the painful contact of the curb 

 chain. 



