n6 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



There is no doubt but what the carriage of head and neck, to- 

 gether with their size and weight, must be considered in the matter of 

 balance. In any correction of gait, however, they are not of primary 

 but rather of secondary importance. First balance must be effected 

 through the foot and the shoe, and with a tolerably or an entirely free 

 head ; and then only should recourse be taken to higher checking or to 

 other paraphernalia. The less we hamper the horse by boots and 

 harness or by weights or poles or other devices, the better for his effi- 

 ciency. If the breeding and development of the standard bred horse 

 is carried on with these principles in mind, or with such ideals of gait 

 and action, his training and preparation will become easier and his ap- 

 pearance more agreeable and natural. 



This whole matter of such progressive methods which are likely 

 to bring about simpler conditions can be left safely to the common 

 sense and ingenuity of our American trainers. These will continue to 

 take infinite pains in the development of our unique type of standard 

 bred horses, and to them is due the intelligence, pluck and usefulness 

 of the animal. 



The last, and often strangely considered the least, requisite of 

 balance is time. We cannot expect an immediate result from any 

 change of adjustment of foot and shoe. The set conditions of a pre- 

 vious shoeing under which the muscles have developed will in a meas- 

 ure interfere with the results of a subsequent shoeing. These hold- 

 over conditions affect also the tendons and ligaments to a degree pro- 

 portionate to the length of time that those former conditions pre- 

 vailed. Sudden and complete changes are also fraught with danger. 

 Only by means of gradual changes and always with a definite object 

 in view, as well as with the records of all changes at hand, can a per- 

 fection of gait be logically and safely brought about. In all experi- 

 ments or changes it is of paramount importance to vary one thing at a 

 -time. The demand for a quick correction of gait is too prevalent, and 

 the result is that too many changes at one shoeing confuse the effects 

 of remedies. We deal with an animal mechanism of delicately joined 

 parts, and these parts will not allow a readjustment of its machinery 

 at a moment's notice. Insistence on a marked change, or the total ab- 



