ADVANTAGE OF MEASURING STRIDES. 411 



shows there has been a falling off of a foot in the distance 

 covered, and this would show that there has been no 

 diminution in his action, as it is fully accounted for in the 

 discrepancy in the stride. We examine his feet, to see if 

 it is pain there, which has made him fearful of extending 

 them, and if we cannot discover any tangible reason, the 

 foot tub is called into requisition, he is driven on soft 

 ground, with other precautions, that we deem necessary, 

 to remove the difficulty. On the other hand, should the 

 stride prove to be as long as formerly, it will be evident 

 that he must have lost some of his quickness of action. 

 Now there are various causes that may have affected him 

 in this particular. Soreness of the muscles, interfering 

 with the celerity of their action ; weakness from over- 

 sweating, or an insufficiency of feed though this would 

 be more apparent in a longer trial ; too much slow, long- 

 continued jogging, or the carrying the walks to an extreme, 

 making him dull, and without the proper animation to 

 take delight, as he should, in bursting off for the brush. 

 Should there have been a change in the shoeing, that 

 might occasion it and I never have a different shoe 

 placed on a horse, without scrutinizing closely the effect it 

 has on the stride. It may seem a trivial matter to follow 

 a horse with a tape line, and note the slightest variation 

 in his stride; but I have been benefited greatly by this 

 plan, and I know that you will oftentimes be able to find 

 out the reasons for a falling off in speed, that would have 

 troubled you without this assistance. 



I want to see May perform, and hope she will verify 

 your assertion that she is entitled to a place among the 

 trotters. That she will eventually be a good one, I have 

 no doubt, though I did not look for as rapid improvement 

 as you mention. 



PUPIL. I may have been deceived, by the rapid change, 

 into placing too high an estimate on her powers ; still I 



