134 



Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



Attention should be called to the longer, even if flatter, heels of 

 the right hind, which were supposed to check the forward extension. 

 This shoeing compared with previous ones resulted in reversing the 

 extension behind from the greater right to the greater left extension. 

 Weight of shoes and the length and height of heels are the main re- 

 sponsible features. Weight behind by itself increases extension behind 

 and length of heels by itself is apt to do the same. Briefly stated we 

 have here in Figs. 96-97, an increased extension of near hind which 

 lagged before due both to a heavier shoe and to a higher heel facil- 

 itating break-over at toe. The longer heels on off hind against such an 

 adjustment favor this extension of near hind. Under the other con- 



f/0.98 



3% in 

 foe. 



6 - SO - 8 



swelled heels 



8- S2- /O 

 /5.50ft 



Straight web 

 heeJs /+ in longer 

 than n h 



f/o. 39. 



ditions of Figs. 95-94, the shorter heels and setting of shoe at toe again 

 brought out the previous excessive extension of off hind, but modified 

 it by the adjustment on the near hind. Incidentally it may be said 

 that shape of shoe is an essential feature in regulating action. For in- 

 stance, Fig. 98 gives an experimental shoeing to study the effect of 

 action on extension behind. Here we have the Memphis shoe on the 

 left foot and a plain shoe on right foot. The left shoe is 2 oz. lighter 

 than the right shoe. Conditions of toe length and angle are alike. The 

 result was that right hind preceded left hind by J/ foot in extension. 

 The 2 oz. extra weight on the right fore did not seem to effect a greater 

 extension, but in the variation of the strides from the average stride of 



