144 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



These complications may appear to the reader as rather perplexing 

 and confusing, but the reasoning has been borne out by the results in 

 other similar experiments. The toe-weights on right fore by its greater 

 weight an ounce at the toe equals several ounces in the shoe has 

 caused the leg thereby to fold more. That is to say, the action of 

 right fore is increased, and such increase of action communicates 

 itself to its related mate, the left hind leg. This leg responds by a 

 greater extension; but the result is altogether bad, because both greater 

 extensions are on the near or left side, making it appear as if the 

 animal had pacing inclinations, which was not true in this case. At 

 any rate, such extensions on one side invite single footing and ir- 

 regularities of gait. 



The difference in separation between fore and hind (average 

 3.80 ft.) is somewhat less than in Fig. 107 (average=4.26 ft.), where 

 both fore had 2 oz. toe-weights. This is in part due to the lesser 

 speed as indicated by the shorter stride (17.32 ft.), as compared with 

 the 18.53 ft- tne stride of Fig. 107. But since all deductions from such 

 experiments for the sake of comparison should be based on the same 

 conditions, it may be well to mention that the trial of Fig. 108 was 

 trotted on the outside of that of Fig. 107 and on harder and smoother 

 ground, the surface of Fig. 107 being somewhat looser. As a rule, 

 all my experiments were made under similar conditions of ground, 

 which was generally cross-raked by hand to a fair looseness such as 

 exists on a well prepared track. 



The subject which we have been considering was a mare with 

 much knee action and a hind extension that interfered with the fore, 

 causing forging and scalping. Besides that she paddled with the 

 right fore. She has a record of 2.24^, but has trotted much faster. 



Several more trials were made with toe-weights on either fore to 

 ascertain their effect and the shoeing of three weeks later, as .given 

 in Fig. 109, was the basis to work on. The principal- feature of this 

 shoeing is the lighter and equal weight of hind shoes and the longer 

 inside heel of shoe on left hind to counteract a longer outside heel in 

 hoof as given. 



The reader may ask here, as well as in previous cases, Why this 



