94 



Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



II. PARING THE HOOF TO COUNTERACT ITS GROWTH AND FAULTY 



DIRECTIONS. 



In a previous chapter I have endeavored to prove that the stride 

 of all four legs must average up the same if the horse continues to trot 

 or pace. The slight increase or decrease that is now and then found 

 between fore and hind legs is merely due to a temporary increase or 

 decrease in speed. But to speak of one leg having a "shorter stride" 

 is not only misleading, but erroneous. What is meant is that such a 

 leg lacks equal forward extension. It would therefore be more cor- 



a b ' 4- m 

 be &/ 

 d c * /i in 

 d angr/e a be -38* 



f/G. 6$. 



rect to say that such a leg had a "short extension." So likewise there 

 is a confusion of terms when the "long" and the "high" toe are spoken 

 of. The toe can absolutely have only one dimension and that is length 

 irom the coronet to its tip on its frontal surface. We can not speak of 

 its being "high" because even in its relation to heel it rests with latter 

 on a plane considered practically level. No point in a plane can be 

 higher than any other. We are now considering the unshod hoof 

 whose sole surface constitutes that plane. 



In Fig. 69 we have two hoofs whose toes are both 4 inches long 

 and whose lengthwise sole surface is 5^ inches. In both cases the 

 height of the heel, or the vertical distance of d to c, is supposed to be 



