Experiments and their Verification 223 



Ordinarily, it is considered a sign of a "short stride/' as it is 

 erroneously called, when a hind foot is placed between the two fore 

 feet; that is to say, the extension of such a foot is considered to be 

 deficient. In this case the reverse was true, for the off hind did actu- 

 ally have a greater forward reach or extension than the near hind. 

 Again, I would like to point out the necessity of exact measurements 

 and of the averages derived therefrom, because on ordinary supposi- 

 tions the off hind would have been considered a leg with a "shorter 

 stride" or of a lesser extension. The fact that the reverse was true 

 made the subject rather a hard case to handle and one not readily 

 amenable to correction. 



The squared toe was considered a remedy in such cases and the 

 few corrective shoeings here offered did in a way show what could 

 be done in similar cases. The variety of changes in this as well as in 

 other cases may remind the reader of the sensible rule in experiment- 

 ing, namely, to vary only one thing at a time. But here, as in other 

 cases, the expectations from every change were so great on the part 

 of the persons interested that the array of conditions in the shoeing 

 seems rather confusing. The reader being, however, somewhat famil- 

 iar with the influences of such conditions, the main point at issue 

 squared toes may, therefore, be dwelt upon with more emphasis. 



Here, then, is a case where rapid gait and deficient extensions 

 caused a great deal of that disturbing motion in front which might be 

 called "recovering," from the fact that one leg tries to make good what 

 the other one loses in motion ; and, again, behind we have in conse- 

 quence an attempt to get around the fore legs which manifests itself 

 in hopping or shifting from one side to the other. 



The few illustrations here offered may show the effect of cor- 

 rective shoeing, more or less, but the fact remains that the horse was 

 a very hard case to get satisfactory results from. In Fig. 164 was 

 given a showing under date of June 14, and under Figs. 171 and 172 

 are now given the successive shoeings of the trials of July 6 and 

 August 4. The main endeavor was to reduce the extension of the 

 near fore and off hind to within reasonable limits by means of 

 squared toes on shoes. 



