Experiments and their Verification 121 



gait with these faults uncorrected. Though the ear may listen and the 

 eye may strain to catch the irregularity, they cannot come up to the 

 evidence on the ground. 



Again, it should be borne in mind that the proper balance of a 

 horse's action, whether it be at slow or fast speed, produces that quality 

 of motion which with the least exertion brings about the most regular 

 and even action. 



I have always been of the opinion that the neglect of the hind 

 action is responsible for a good part of the problems "of balance. In 

 many horses we cultivate an excessive action in front for the avowed 

 purpose of clearing fore feet from hind feet ; and at the same time we 

 do nothing to regulate the hind action. With the hope of bringing 

 about a greater separation between fore and hind feet so as to pre- 

 vent interference, all efforts seem to be directed toward higher action 

 in front. Somehow it is assumed that such a course will cause the fore 

 to extend forward more and avoid interference thereby, besides in- 

 creasing speed. My observations lead me to believe that such en- 

 deavors are based on a lack of knowledge of the inter-relation of the 

 four legs. 



Extremely high action in front must always be considered faulty 

 from the standpoint of utility, as well as from that of beauty. It 

 does not conform to a proper idea or definition of balance. There is 

 also another consideration against it, namely, that of its effect on hind 

 action. Somehow the action behind is hardly ever a subject of cor- 

 rection. It is left severely alone because the prevalent idea about it 

 has been that hind legs should reach as far forward as possible so as 

 to get a good forward hold on ground and effect propulsion. But in 

 all my experience it has always been noticed that the action at both 

 extremities, that is, the sum total of both actions, is nearly a fixed 

 quantity with every horse. It may be slightly increased or diminished 

 as a whole by shoeing and by the consequent development or disuse 

 of certain muscles and tendons ; but on the whole the distribution of 

 action between fore and hind could be indicated by the figures 3 and 2, 

 or by saying that three-fifths of the action belongs to the fore and 

 two-fifths to the hind legs. Some may hold it is still ipore in dispro- 



