Record of the Tracks on tlie Ground 59 



the total work of such an investigation, therefore, seems too much for 

 some trainers or owners to bother with, the above requirements are 

 absolutely necessary for any comprehension of the subject's gait. As 

 mentioned before, horses are apt to trot with one foot ahead of the 

 other in front, but such a habit should call for a like difference in ex- 

 tension of its correlated hind foot or that hind foot which moves with 

 that fore. An analysis of the gait would readily prove this fact. 



So in this case of Lou Dillon's, if the off hind had only lagged, say, 

 one inch, and the corresponding near fore had also lagged one inch, we 

 could pronounce such a gait as a perfect trot, because the most im- 

 portant condition of such a perfect gait would have been fulfilled. 



This condition remains a peremptory demand for such a perfect 

 trot and calls for an equality of distance between the diagonally moving 

 feet. Wherever these distances, as given in table of Fig. 38, are not 

 equal we must look for the offending leg and try the probable remedy 

 on the same. All so-called "rough" gaits or single-footing or breaks 

 are due to some over-activity of one leg and sluggishness of another, 

 thus causing the inequality of the distances between the two pair of 

 correlated feet, and in establishing such defect we find the probable 

 cause of disturbance upon which to base a change in the paring of 

 the foot or the shoeing of the same. Examples in a later chapter will 

 make this more clear. 



In the computation of the previous tables it has been shown that 

 in order to establish a correct agreement of one with the other the 

 first two measurements from one fore to one hind should be neglected 

 and the start should be made with the measurement containing the rec- 

 ord of the stride. For instance, the measurement from near fore to 

 near hind is in table Fig. 34 = 6.40, which is not considered in any 

 figuring, but the start is made from the two horizontal figures con- 

 taining the first stride measurement. In these oversteps we therefore 

 not only neglect 6.40, but also the second line, and proceed only with 

 third line containing the first stride : 19.30 or 25.70 19.30 = 6.40. 

 This method has been found to conform to all proofs or verifications ; 

 for, since we start with the first full stride, the start of all other rela- 

 tions should be made with reference to that first stride. 



