Experiments and their Verification 193 



tion is capable of. The experiments are not given to be followed im- 

 plicitly, but are rather to be accepted as suggestions in reasoning out 

 such an improvement of the gait by means of a method which is here 

 offered as a rational solution of the problem of balance. 



Having considered, in a general way, the effect of weight of 

 shoes on hind feet, we shall now proceed to investigate the effect of 

 squared toes on any one or on all feet, incidentally examining weight 

 on front feet, and then passing on to the effect of longer heels on hind 

 shoes. 



A. SQUARED TOES OF SHOES. 



We will first, however, look at the effect of equal weight on both 

 hind feet when using a shoe that will facilitate the break-over at the 

 toe, that is, the shoe with the squared toe. A filly by Sidney Dillon 

 presents just such a case where weight of hind shoes was directed by 

 the shape of the shoe. This filly had good front action, which was 

 straightly directed, and because the hock action was also good, sHe was 

 shod in the customary way: 9 oz. in front and 6 oz. behind. The 

 usual prejudice against interference with the hock action prevailed, 

 and the same old principle of getting the fore feet out of the way of 

 the hind feet was believed to be the only proper manner of regulating 

 her gait. 



Most of my trials took place on a piece of an old track well kept 

 up, and of a fine loamy soil that afforded excellent footing when it was 

 cared for ; but there was a slight incline on the stretch, and while most 

 trials were made downhill, many a one was taken both ways. This 

 filly could always trot more steadily and strongly when going uphill. 

 She would lose the shifting or skipping behind and pick up her feet in 

 a more exact manner. This fact first suggested the trial of heavier 

 hind shoes both in this case and in others that afforded a similar ob- 

 servation. ( This going downhill and uphill is similar to the two ways 

 of going of Edgington in sulky and under saddle, as given in Figs. 28 

 and 29, where the weight on his back acted like the depression of hind 

 quarters as caused by the uphill movement of the filly in this case. 



