Record of the Tracks on the Ground 45 



There is, however, a method of making some horses acquire a 

 fair gait, outside of a definite plan of improvement. Many horse- 

 shoers have pursued the same course, namely, that of fitting the 'hoof 

 of the horse to the shoe that is supposed to improve the gait. By con- 

 tinued application of a preconceived plan as to the needs of a horse for 

 a good gait, the animal is supposed to adapt itself to these set require- 

 ments. It is not always effective and smacks of the "root-hog-or-die" 

 treatment. With a large expenditure of time, it often amounts to 

 nothing but hope deferred and a blind perseverance. 



In thus defending a rational method to ascertain not only the con- 

 ditions that exist but also those that are wished for in the improve- 

 ment of gaits, I do not claim that in offering this method of analysis 

 of gaits there goes with it a prompt and immediate remedy or recom- 

 mendation of shoeing. I doff my hat to the skilful American farrier. 

 He is bound to find a remedy when definitely told where the fault lies. 

 He cannot, however, be expected to know the animal's gait or hit the 

 right thing by guessing at it. 



Take, as an example, the instructive book on shoeing by William 

 Russell. He has demonstrated in a general way the effects of certain 

 shoes on the gait or manner of motion of the trotter and pacer. He 

 insists that each case is separate from others and requires special treat- 

 ment. This means that each case demands almost endless experiment- 

 ing, with no assurance of knowing the reason why the final adjust- 

 ment of balance is the correct one. Roberge followed him with a more 

 reasonable theory by laying stress not so much on the make of the 

 shoe as upon the shape of the hoof. While the making of complex 

 shoes reflects highly on the art of shoeing and the ingenuity of the 

 American farrier, the principle of controlling the motion by the shape 

 of an ever growing hoof, and of thereby simplifying the shapes of 

 shoes, carries with it more conviction. With full recognition of the 

 eminent work done by these men, and for that matter by the' men who 

 follow their principles, there was to my mind a great need of a method 

 to establish the facts of observation upon which they base their con- 

 clusions. 



The instantaneous photographs of Muybridge and my plotting of 



