250 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



heels of hind causd a greater spreading of hind legs, but they must be 

 held responsible, more or less, for the distance between extremities (B 14 

 ft.) being about the same as in the previous trial (A 14.04 ft.), in spite of 

 the lower angle (53), whose effect on extension these heels somewhat 

 nullified. In addition to this the lower angle in front (B) had the effect 

 of extending the fore legs, and this lower angle is itself more effective 

 than the lower angle of hind feet. The front feet, as a rule, respond 

 more readily to a smaller change in angle than do the hind feet, 

 which no doubt is due to the greater rigidity of the fore quarter. 



It may be well to state here that the variations from the average 

 stride were less in B than they were in A, proving that the gait in the 

 second shoeing was more adapted to the horse. I have always found 

 that if the variations of all four legs were nearly even in extent and 

 small in compass the gait of the animal was fairly regular and square. 

 Merely as a side information these variations show the regularity or 

 irregularity of motion. 



As mentioned, this colt had a peculiar lack of forward extension 

 of hind feet and his toes were dug into the ground a good deal. A 

 long toe behind increased such a fault. His backward extension with 

 hind legs was marked, but the lack of elevation, or rather the absence 

 of the power to suspend his toes and thus make the forward reach of 

 the hind count as well, made his backward extension void, and moreover 

 put a severe strain on the muscles of his back and loins. Continuing 

 through all trials with the same adjustment of the fore feet, but put- 

 ting on a 10 oz. shoe instead of an 8 oz., the various changes behind 

 proved that where such a serious fault of extension exists, due to 

 some weakness in ligaments or tendons or muscles, the easiest adjust- 

 ment is the best. Great sustained speed, however, cannot be expected 

 in any such case. Our first duty is always to remove the cause of the 

 visible concussions on the ground, for these, cannot, in any event, be 

 conducive to either speed or good, easy action. 



Longer toes of 3^ inches on both hind increased the distance be- 

 tween the extremities in one instance to 4.76 feet and in another to 

 4.88 feet, with strides respectively of 16.54 feet and 16.61 feet, the 

 angle being 53 in the first and 52 in the second instance. Shortening 



