288 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



shoeing of Fig. 190 and the other with a similar shoeing, but with 

 toe-lengths varied. The second one was more satisfactory and showed 

 less variations in the strides of the four legs. It was as clear a case of 

 decreased variations of an uphill trial as with the other subject. In 

 the former case such were more marked and showed the greater ease 

 of motion uphill, and likewise with the filly now under discussion, the 

 greater ease was also apparent to the eye when she went uphill. Rea- 

 soning from the apparent analogy, I decided to use heavy hind shoes 

 on her and simply reversed the weights of Fig. 190, putting 6 oz. in 

 front and 9 oz. behind. In both these cases the action of the hind legs 

 when going uphill was the principal improvement obtained. There 

 was a better equalization* of the fore and hind action, and in general 

 terms it may be said that the fore action decreased while the hind 

 action increased in those uphill movements. 



There is no double trial of the above change of shoes on record, 

 but the downhill trial shows an improvement both in the extension 

 (near fore 0.075 ft. and near hind 0.12 ft. more than opposite mate, or 

 respectively 0.9 inch and 1.44 inch) and in the total variations. The 

 latter were: 



Fore 



Near. Off. Near. Off. Total. 



345 3-30 3-35 3-io (13.20) 



for a stride of 14.10 ft. The hind shoes were still of the pattern with 

 beveled toe and heels, which in itself was not a favorable condition. 

 Another trial with unequally divided weight behind was not satisfac- 

 tory, but the season was at an end. 



The next year she was first tried with heel calks on hind shoes, 

 subsequently with squared toes added and finally with more weight on 

 top of that. This not only extended the mare, but produced a desir- 

 able and even action of the hock joint. Her strides were now over 16 

 ft, and her speed steadily increased. All this was the direct result of 

 the uphill trials, and although errors are evident, they were made in 

 good faith. It is to avoid like errors that these records are given so at 

 length to the reader. The usual dislike for heavier hind shoes caused 



