Requ isites of Perfect Ba la nee 97 



In all my experiments the rule of pointing, set forth by David 

 Roberge, as regards backward and forward extension, was nearly 

 always verified. A smaller angle meant forward extension and a 

 larger angle brought about a backward extension. I am now speaking 

 of the angle of the foot with the shoe on, inclusive of all the devices of 

 intelligent shoeing that tend to forward or backward extension. 



A much more difficult matter is the lateral adjustment or balance 

 of foot. Again, we are forced to put before our mental view an ideal 

 attitude, or a perfect position of the legs as viewed from the front 

 and from the rear. In Fig. 67 the table there given for noting on the 

 subject's points, indicates this particular deviation from the perfect by 

 "Attitude (en face)." 



It is generally accepted that, from both the standpoint of beauty 

 and of utility, a line dividing the hoof, ankle and knee into equal halves, 

 ^hould pass through or near the point of shoulder. This line can be 

 called the axis of lateral balance for the fore leg. This line would also 

 be the axis of the so-called "line trot," or rather, it indicates and stands 

 for a plane parallel to the direction of motion of the horse in which the 

 fore leg moves without any swinging to inside or outside. In other 

 words, if the horse moves directly towards the observer, the movements 

 of the fore legs should be confined to these vertical planes. 



The same is true of the hind leg as viewed from the rear. Here 

 the axis of motion should again divide the hoof, ankle and hock into 

 two equal halves and pass through or near the buttock joint. This, 

 again, may be called the axis of lateral balance for the hind leg. This 

 line would also be the axis of the plane for the so-called "'line trot" of 

 the hind leg. When, therefore, the horse moves away from the ob- 

 server, this axis should indicate the perfect line of motion as regards 

 lateral extension or its faults of swinging in or out. Both these ideal 

 conditions for the fore and hind legs are illustrated in Fig. 72. This 

 is, in fact, the attitude that should prevail with the best and the fastest, 

 as well as the strongest and soundest trotters and pacers, if compen- 

 sations for other faults do not mar the firmness and stability of the 

 position. An illustration of such apparent equilibrium and firmness of 



