132 LAKE AM) THAIMNG OF TKOTTEKS AM) PACERS. 



cases. The comparative rigidity of the fore legs 

 makes them more responsive to small changes, but 

 in the hind legs such corrective changes may be 

 emphasized or increased somewhat without as 

 much danger to the limb or foot. That is to say. 

 twists due to a wrong adjustment are apt to cause 

 more damage to the fore than to the hind legs, 

 (4) Cross Firing. 

 The same kind of interference that occurs in 

 trotters — namely: the injury sustained by hind and 

 fore on the same side — takes place in the pacei 

 between the fore and hind of opposite sides, hence 

 the name "cross firing." Inward curves of mo- 

 tion are generally at the bottom of such interfer- 

 ence, and only by closely observing the angles 

 which the feet make on the ground with reference 

 to the general straight line of motion of the horse 

 can we arrive at anything like the real cause and 

 a probable remedy. Besides this there may exis* 

 an excessive approach of the fore and hind in thei; 

 motion from side to side ; that is, there is too much 

 roll from side to side in the pacer's motion. In 

 the trotter the hind feet are usually wider apart 

 than the fore feet, while in the pacer the fore feet 

 usually are farther apart than the hind feet. Now 

 a good many defects in either gait are due to an 

 excessive separation of the hind in tlie trot and to 

 an excessive approach of the hind in the pace. 

 Another common fault in sj^cedy horses is an ex- 

 cessive forward extension of the hind legs, and 



