vi Preface 



intricate problem of balancing or adjusting the motion, extension and 

 action of the horse at speed. 



The laws of "pointing", or the horse's movement of the foot in the 

 lines of least inconvenience or pain, as laid down by Roberge, form a 

 very simple and rational foundation for paring the hoof and putting 

 on the shoe. Much thought has already been given to this subject of 

 balancing and gaiting, but as yet little has been done or shown by any 

 methodical investigation. 



Granting that much knowledge of ,gait may be gathered by sight, 

 sound and sensation, in other words, by watching the action from all 

 points of the compass and by listening to the fall of the feet, as well 

 as by feeling the mouth while speeding, all proper balancing under such 

 observation will nevertheless remain more or less guess-work. It will 

 always be tedious experimenting for lack of definite data ; and even 

 when success crowns the countless efforts and there is a happy combi- 

 nation of adjustment, it is apt to be momentary and will give no rule 

 for a repetition of the same conditions. Unless some more precise and 

 exact method can be devised, there will be no record left behind, and 

 we shall not possess any definite knowledge. Such guess-work and 

 repeated haphazard trials, even when successful for a time, give no 

 rational explanation of previous conditions or of the effect of any 

 changes, or of the final results. 



What is wanted is some plan or method by which any fault in the 

 action or extension can be readily discovered and one's whole energy 

 can be employed from the very start toward a possible correction of 

 such deficiency. 



Let us not gamble with Luck, cautions the Sage of Concord, but 

 deal directly with Cause and Effect. Even then chances may be against 

 us, but we at least deal with the subject in a logical and not in an ir- 

 rational manner. 



It is not claimed by the writer that any horse, or all of them, can 

 be made to move squarely and fast by such a method, but merely that 

 the faulty action can be more readily detected. It will be shown that 

 there is at least a rational plan for the discovery, if not for the removal, 

 of the cause of faulty or deficient action. No cure-all is offered, nor 



