Weighting to Improve the Action 141 



any length of time, especially if the going is heavy 

 or if he is drawing a load, his movements will soon 

 become labored, he will pound the ground, very 

 likely overreach and forge, and the character of 

 his action will be destroyed. When extra weight 

 is necessary to bring out the action, it should be 

 reduced as soon as possible. This should be done 

 gradually. Since wear lightens the shoes, it is a good 

 plan when replacing them to have the new shoes 

 the weight of the old ones after being reduced. 

 If the horse continues to go well, reduce until the 

 proper weight is reached. One has to be guided by 

 the individual in determining the amount of weight 

 to be put in the horse's shoes in order to bring out 

 the best results in the way of action. 



In training for high action it is often of advan- 

 tage to permit the hoofs to grow to a fair length, 

 thus causing the horse to exert extra effort in rais- 

 ing and extending the legs. Though fatiguing to 

 the animal, this has a tendency to increase the 

 action. This extra growth of the hoof, like extra 

 weight in the shoe, is often a necessary evil when 

 extreme action is desired. 



Defects in action can be corrected, in a measure, 

 by modifying the shoe and the shape of the hoof. 

 The horse that winds his feet outward may often have 

 his action improved by having the inside branch of 

 the shoe slightly the heavier, whereas the one that 

 winds in should have the outside branch slightly 



