Experiments and their Verification 225 



near fore ; and behind, the off foot with the squared toe varied more, 

 which means that in spite of its greater and habitual extension the 

 off hind was not the stronger or more regular leg. Therefore, the 

 primary effect of the squared toes thus applied to the pair of corre- 

 lated legs whose extensions are excessive (nf-oh) would seem to 

 show a restraint or check. 



In the next change of Fig. 172 the lengths of the toes in front are 

 reversed and the angle of off fore lowered one degree. The object of 

 a longer toe and lower angle or heel is to increase the pointing for- 

 ward of off fore ; while the near fore not alone has a squared toe but 

 a heavier shoe with a slightly thicker web. The angle of near fore 

 is 50 as against that of 49 of off fore, and the front shoes are both 

 alike in shape. In the previous trial this difference of angles was 

 effected by the shape of near front shoe being slightly higher or 

 thicker near heel. (See Fig. 171.) Behind there is quite a difference 

 in toes, the near hind having %6 inch more toe length. The angle 

 of foot being the same on both hind, the near may be considered the 

 longer leg on account of a longer toe and a correspondingly higher 

 heel in consequence. This fact as against the squared toe and the 

 shorter foot of the off hind brings about a result which, though it 

 was corrective in extensions, was somewhat destructive of speed at 

 that particular trial, as the short stride of 12.83 ft- w ^ illustrate. A 

 few days later, however, he showed good speed and balance, going a 

 quarter easily in 35^2 seconds. It seemed as if the restraint put upon 

 the excessive extension was modified by the ,growth of feet so that 

 the result was pretty satisfactory; but in order to show his reverting 

 to the previous way of going the same conditions at the next shoeing 

 were maintained absolutely as in Fig. 172, except that round toes in- 

 stead of squared toes were used on the near fore and off hind. 



The resulting extensions are given in Fig. 173; and in order to 

 show the directions of the four feet or their lateral extensions the 

 actual distances from the median line are given in Fig. 174. Here, 

 then, it is seen that a hind leg which is placed between the two fore 

 must not necessarily be one that drags or whose extension is deficient. 

 In this case, as in others, such a leg is too often active and causes 



