258 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



to recognize more clearly and quickly the possible remedy for faulty 

 gaits. 



There is in Fig. 191 a decrease in angle of off hind which, with the 

 heavier shoe, is responsible for its extension over that of the near hind. 

 In front we have simply a longer toe on near fore, which, with the same 

 angle, checks the extension of that longer foot, but the evidence of 

 that check is lacking because of the excessive extension of the off hind. 

 It is sometimes a little confusing to have an excessive extension of one 

 hind leg influence its correlated fore leg, as in this case. Here we have 

 two hind legs with indifferent action and with that tendency to poke 

 forward just above the ground, and while in the former trial under 

 Fig. 132 the calks on hind shoes prevented too great an extension, the 

 present shoes with beveled heels encourage it. We have now an 

 abnormal approach of fore and hind feet (2.69 feet). The fonvard 

 reach of the off hind has its origin also more or less in a weak ankle, 

 but, as I said, the extension is so abnormal (10.62 inches) that its in- 

 fluence is felt on the near fore, in spite of that foot being made longer 

 to check it ; yet the near fore is comparatively little in advance of the off 

 fore, when we consider the inequality behind. 



Mention should here be made of an observation which was already 

 alluded to under Fig. 175, namely, that a shorter toe with a higher 

 heel or greater angle of foot has not, as it would seem, the double re- 

 straint on extension, such as each of these conditions effects, but 

 rather has often a decided increase of extension as a result. Reference 

 is made to a case under Figs. 145, 146, 147 and 148, where a squared 

 toe was changed to a round toe to check extension of the foot with the 

 squared toe; and also to Figs. 164 and 166, where erroneously the 

 squared toe and higher angle, together with the longer toe, was the 

 adjustment of the hind foot which had been found to be of greater ex- 

 tension before. 



The effect of a higher heel is an increased pointing back or an 

 earlier contact with the ground than a lower heel would have. This is 

 based on the facts as photography has revealed them, namely, that the 

 heel of the foot lands on the ground before the toe. Now, with a 

 shorter toe (or as in Fig. 175, with a squared toe) than the opposite 



