132 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



the right direction even though this does not mean a proper remedy 

 I give Fig. 96 as illustrating the shoeing three weeks before. There 

 the stride was 16.11 feet, while for the trial, three weeks later, it waa 

 15.84 feet (Fig. 95), a difference of 0.27 feet, or 3*4 inches. 



Before we jump at any conclusions why she took the turns better 

 when shod as in Fig. 95 than as in Fig. 96, the latter shoeing should 

 be looked into. With the greater stride (16.11 feet) at the previous 

 shoeing than at that of Fig. 95 (15.84), by a difference of 3^ inches, 

 there is in the latter trial, on the straight course after the turn, a 

 greater separation between fore and hind feet, and a consequent 

 smaller overstep of hind over fore. According to observations made, 

 we would naturally expect in the slower gait a smaller likelihood of 

 interference between hind and fore, because the extension of both fore 

 and hind is not as great ; but here the difference between the strides is 

 only 3J4 inches and yet the average overstep in the previous trial with 

 the i6.n feet stride is greater by 0.6 feet or 7.2 inches than the over- 

 step of the second trial with the 15.84 feet stride. That is, the over- 

 step of the trial with the 16.11 feet average stride is 4.45 feet and 

 that of the 15.84 feet average stride is 3.85 feet. These differences 

 occur on the same straightaway course after the turn, which later will 

 be considered separately. In proportion the average distance between 

 hind and fore is 3.61 feet in the previous trial and 4.07 feet in the sub- 

 sequent trial, a difference of 0.46 feet, or 5.52 inches. This separation 

 indicates clearly that such differences do not depend upon the mere 

 increase of stride of 3% inches. 



It will be noticed that the hind toes, or the hind feet, are % inch 

 longer than the fore feet, the latter being 3 inches and the former 

 3^ inches; and this is an important feature in the separation of the 

 extremities. It indicates that hind had greater extension because of 

 such greater length, as subsequent experiments have proved time and 

 again. Hence, their greater approach towards the fore. 



Take the shoeing of Fig. 96 and we have the extension of right 

 fore 0.115 feet or 1.38 inches greater than that of left fore. That is, 

 the right fore travels ahead of the left fore by that much. Behind it 

 was found that the left hind traveled ahead of the right hind by 0.205 



