for this shoe there will be an immediate change. If a 

 toe weight is used keep spur towards inside toe from 

 centre of foot but not far enough to hit knee boot. 



VII. SHIN HITTING OF THE HIND LEGS. 

 There are different causes for this trouble. In the 

 trotter it is because the hind action and the front action 

 do not work in harmony with one another. Excessive 

 hind action will cause it, or excessive front action in some 

 cases will cause it. A front foot that is highest or longest 

 on the outside toe will cause it. What will cause it the 

 quickest and more severely is a high inside on the hind 

 foot, especially on a horse that has been going open gaited 

 behind. If your horse has plenty of action in front and is 

 going in a medium light shoe I would advise you to level 

 his hind feet; be sure and do not have the inside of hind 

 teet the highest (which is nearly always the case), but if 

 anything have it a shade the lowest, and shoe the hind 

 feet with an outside weight shoe several ounces heavier 

 than he has been carrying ; this will widen his hind action 

 and when he gets to going the weight will keep him out- 

 side and clear. This weight can be decreased as his gait 

 is being perfected. The most particular part of this will 

 be to get his feet properly prepared to help the line of 

 action. 



Perhaps your horse is short in his front action, low 

 and dwelling gaited, too much so for his hind action, if 

 so, shoe him in front with heavier shoe, say 5 ounce 

 heavier or even more as the case may need, bevel or roll 

 the toe, also bevel the outside edge from the outside toe 

 to heel of front shoes where the shin hitting is done. If 

 your horse wings in towards his knees or arms, the inside 

 of front feet should be left the highest. I prefer in shoe- 

 ing such horses to keep them going as close in line as pos- 



-9- 



