214 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



feet, and the forward extension of off hind with its squared toe is so 

 excessive that it is well worth noting as compared with the near hind 

 with the shorter foot and longer heels on the shoe. Here, again, the 

 longer foot of the off hind is more effective in greater forward exten- 

 sion. Incidentally, I may remark that certain manipulations or changes, 

 such as a squared toe or a longer heel, do not always work out the ex- 

 pected improvement or pre-conceived plan of correction because cer- 

 tain auxiliary conditions are not always the same in the opposite or diag- 

 onal foot. That is very often the reason why the effect is contrary 

 to expectation at times. 



Here (Fig. 164) we have intentionally lengthened the right hind 

 foot, squared the toe and swelled the heels a little more than those of 

 left hind, and we have also given the left hind shoe longer heels and 

 a round toe. We have, therefore, increased the breakover of the right 

 hind and made it more difficult for the left hind. Again, we have 

 raised the heels of the left fore slightly, and though somewhat influ- 

 enced by its diagonal mate, the right hind, it shows no excessive ex- 

 tension in consequence. The speed of the horse was greater, as the 

 stride will show, and the variations of the movements of the legs from 

 the average stride were less in extent but similar in manner, showing 

 the steadier movements to be with the right fore and the left hind. 

 The gait may be said to have been spoiled by the over-active and un- 

 steady right hind leg. 



On the whole the result shows that the adjustment of the near 

 hind did not counteract the tendency of the off hind to reach forward. 

 The effect of the squared toe of the latter was towards a higher ac- 

 tion, which again was converted into a greater forward extension 

 partly by a longer foot (3^ in.) and partly by a confirmed habit. 

 The greater weight and longer heels of the near hind shoe did not,, 

 therefore, in this instance check or offset the activity of the off hind 

 leg. 



A similar instance of habitual extension with one hind leg we 

 saw in a gelding whose shoeings were described in Figs. 137-144, 

 some of the shoeings omitted there being now given to show similar 

 effects of a squared toe with a longer foot and with longer heels, as 



