192 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



tions from the average stride we again notice a change for the better, 

 viz.: 



Near. Off. Near. Off. 



9.29 9.57 9.83 11.24 



This shows plainly that the two legs most deficient in extension 

 the off fore and the near hind have now become more regular in 

 their variations as against the previous trial, when they showed 15.30 

 and 15.55 i n tota ^ f variations. But the variations are still too wide 

 in scope to constitute a regular gait. 



Various other applications of weight to the hind feet have had 

 the same result when the object was to equalize the extension of both 

 hind. It is well to bear in mind that the effect of weight as far as 

 extension is concerned depends also largely on the shape of the shoe. 

 In the last case, for instance, we might have directed the hind feet 

 differently and prevented their extensions from being greater than 

 those of fore. Instead of rocking motion shoes with a thin heel, there 

 should have been swelled heels on both hind shoes and a square toe on 

 near hind to accelerate action, which in this case would, by the extra 

 weight, have caused greater extension ; but such a course would have 

 been detrimental to the weak ankles which needed the rocking motion 

 of shoe to prevent further injury and to lessen the knuckling over of 

 these hind ankles. This horse was, therefore, not free from the ag- 

 gravations of unsoundness ; but such is the lot of the man who under- 

 takes to convert a badly gaited horse into a well gaited one : he is apt 

 to be given the hardest cases. Many cases will come and go like the 

 shadows of passing clouds, and the expectations of the man in trouble 

 remind one of the signs in small tailor shops : "Clothes mended while 

 you wait." Many may differ with me in the application of the remedy, 

 but I believe that the experiments embodied in this extended investiga- 

 tion of the trotting gait will be sufficiently suggestive of remedies on 

 similar lines. As long as the work is done with this method of analysis 

 as a basis and an accuracy of adjustment is maintained, there must fol- 

 low an improvement of the disordered gait such as the animal in ques- 



