240 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



foot with the ground, in order to be of the greatest possible effective- 

 ness, must be distinct, firm and light; in other words, it must not show 

 any blurred outlines due to premature fall of the foot, or any hard 

 concussion due to a wrong direction or an unbalanced condition of 

 the foot, or, again, it should not show any sliding or slipping of any 

 part of the shoe. Where any of these observations are made repeat- 

 edly on one foot or more there is ample evidence of some disturbing 

 cause, either amenable to treatment or due to structural faults beyond 

 repair. At any rate, as "prima facie" evidence of a faulty gait such a 

 close scrutiny of the tracks is much to be commended, even as a 

 matter apart from any measurements and calculations at which many 

 men may balk. 



In the ordinary course of events, and with a commendable wis- 

 dom to avoid excessive toil, trainers are not apt to undertake the de- 

 velopment of horses of deficient action and speed. Even with the 

 horses of promise the education necessary for their appearance at 

 the speed contests, or for their perfection as good roadsters, requires 

 much close attention and labor. The inventiveness of the American 

 mind forestalls drudgery, and it is ever intent on improvements along 

 easy lines. But no one with an active mind and body can or should 

 avoid the puzzles and perplexities of his vocation in life or the toil 

 imposed upon him for the solution of such difficulties. Talent or 

 aptitude for certain work is a man's real capital, but its income is in- 

 creased only by the experience gathered through intelligent applica- 

 tion and keen observation. 



It was really beyond my purpose to try the patience of the reader 

 by presenting so many experiments of my own, but my efforts to show 

 the possibility of correcting a faulty gait will, I hope, prove the neces- 

 sity of exact knowledge of a gait before remedies are applied. Er- 

 rors which I have made in the combination of changes can be avoided 

 by fewer and more marked differences, so that the cases given will 

 at least serve as examples of a possible improvement in locomotion. 



