208 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



and more active leg, because their scope is greater than that of the near 

 fore. Behind, the off foot was not fully corrected by either lighter 

 shoe, greater angle or longer and more swelled heel, for it still retained 

 its extension over that of the near hind. Because of this persistent 

 habit behind, the gait was not fully satisfactory and correct. About 

 the longer heel behind we shall later have more to investigate, but it 

 may be mentioned that most experiments showed that longer hind 

 heels (compared with the heels of opposite hind foot) will strike 

 ground sooner, and the foot, to avoid a shock, will be carried to a 

 greater forward extension. With merely thicker heels this seems not 

 to take place, but the backward reach is rather facilitated thereby and 

 the extension lessened. 



In Fig. 159 we have such a correction for the hind, but the near 

 fore is again too active. This is due to lowering the heel from 53 to 

 50 and squaring toe. There is no doubt but what the squared toe of 

 the shoe will bring about a readier action than the ordinary round 

 toe, and it is this quickened action which, when properly directed by 

 weight and angle, can be a great benefit to the horse. Squared toes, 

 in general, tend rather toward greater elevation of action, other condi- 

 tions being equal. 



In Fig. 159 the squared toes on fore had not the desired effect on 

 the gait of this horse, because he was naturally rapid gaited and pos- 

 sessed little of that desirable forward reach of the front legs that 

 counts in speed. It will be noticed that the average distance of cor- 

 related feet is less (3.32 ft.) than it was in Fig. 158 (3.65 ft.), show- 

 ing the effect of squared toes in front. Hind toes were about % inch 

 shorter than front toes to check in a measure the forward extension 

 of hind, which was his great fault. The off hind, though restrained 

 by thicker heel and greater angle, and set back by easier action of near 

 hind due to squared toe, was still in evidence as a "pointer ;" but even 

 then its natural relation with the near fore did not make it extend ex- 

 cessively. This shows the effective way of shoeing behind in this case. 

 The greater weight on near fore does not show the effect of less ex- 

 tension, because of the peculiar formation of that foot, it being dished 



