MANUAL FOR ARMY HORSESHOERS. 71 



THE TROT. 



61. The trot is a diagonal movement, in which two feet leave 

 the ground and again strike the ground at the same time, as, the 

 left front foot and the right hind foot. If the horse shows a tendency 

 to single foot, the toe-height shoe in front (PL XX, fig. 2) is often 

 of benefit. The tee weight increases the length of the stride and 

 give? a long, reaching swing to the front feet. After the horse trots 

 steadily the toe weight may be gradually decreased and finally 

 abandoned. 



THE GALLOP. 



63. The gallop is a gait in which the horse springs into the air 

 from one front foot and has all four feet off the ground at once. The 

 diagonal hind foot is the first to strike the ground, then the other 

 hind foot, next the front foot opposite the one from which the spring 

 was made, and last the foot used for the spring. 



Animals that are so frequently used at the gallop as Army horses 

 should carry as light a shoe as practicable. 



THE PACE. 



63. The pace is a lateral movement — that is to say, a movement 

 in which two feet on the same side leave and strike the ground at 

 the same time. If a horse shows a tendency to pace, it is often of 

 benefit to shoe the front feet -with a medium-weight shoe, well rolled 

 at the toe, or a roller-motion shoe (PL XIX, fig. 3). A confirmed 

 pacer can very rarely be converted to the trot by shoeing alone, it 

 being generally necessary to use hobbles, uniting diagonally a front 

 leg and a hind leg. The pacer should have no place in the service, 

 but, if present, should be shod with a normal shoe. 



THE SIXGLE-FOOT. 



64. The single-foot is an irregular gait in which the front feet 

 move in the order of a slow trot and the hind feet at a fast walk. 

 Each foot strikes the ground singly. The action of the front. feet is 

 high, and there is a lateral saving to the hind feet. 



To convert a single-footer into a trotter, ilse heavy toe-weight 

 shoes in front and ride the horse with a loose rein and an easy bit 

 up a gentle slope. Just as the horse increases the gait from the 



