SHOEING YOUNG HORSES. 109 



die himself. The horse that is least governed is the best gov- 

 erned, when you want to get at the point of how light or how 

 heavy his shoes should be to get the best speed and style of ac- 

 tion. Trotters are changed to pacers and pacers are changed to 

 trotters simply by an adaptation of shoes to the animal's way 

 of going, and instances are on record of horses trotting in one 

 race and pacing in another, the change being effected simply 

 by shoeing. It is true that this can not always be effected for 

 some families pace naturally, and again it is nearly impossible 

 to make a pure square line trotter into a pacer, but some have 

 naturally an interchangeable gait, and if the possibilities of 

 scientific shoeing were more thoroughly understood, we would 

 see less crooked-legged, knee-padded, tendon-booted horses led 

 out to display their forced speed, and its utilities would make 

 their own demonstration in every department of horse enterprise. 



Determining the Gait. — You can not have strained ten- 

 dons, swelled joints, and irregular-gaited horses if the feet are 

 trued and balanced and the shoe properly adjusted to carry out 

 the balance. Do this, and their action will be true and their 

 gait equably sustained all the time. 



In developing a horse's gait and speed, shoeing is a matter 

 of the utmost importance, and one which requires the greatest 

 study and care. It is, in fact, half the battle. Careful, patient 

 experimentation, extending over many days, or even weeks^ 

 may be necessary to ascertain these points. Not until they have- 

 been ascertained and safely met is the colt ready for a " trial of 

 speed," or for the adjustment of any settled gait. For a green 

 colt, no matter how pure-gaited he may be, is almost certain to- 

 cut his shins or his knees by striking them with his feet when; 

 he begins to travel at a high rate of speed. The skillful horse- 

 man will carefully study all these varying points. The shoeing 

 will largely depend upon the individual necessities of the an- 

 imal and other similar conditions. 



