IMPROVING ACTION 87 



veloping horses' action, for sale, is limited as to 

 time. He cannot afford to spend it and he has 

 to be guided too much by circumstances, but the 

 principle of development is the same, whether for 

 the market or show ring. A great deal is said 

 about shoeing in contributing to action, and it 

 is a point that should be studied and carefully at- 

 tended to, but it is decidedly secondary in im- 

 portance to either bitting or conditioning. Some 

 years ago a great deal of weight was used in 

 shoeing show and sale horses. You would fre- 

 quently see a horse weighing from 1,000 to 1,100 

 pounds carrying on each forefoot from one 

 pound and a half to two pounds weight, and even 

 more. This answers for some purposes and be- 

 fore some judges, but if an owner wishes to sell 

 or show a horse on his merits, it does not do. A 

 lot of weight on a horse's feet will make him 

 show more action for a short time, particularly 

 if shown in hand and if he is feeling fresh and 

 well. If, however, he is called upon to exert him- 

 self for any length of time, especially if the going 

 is heavy, and if he has to draw any weight, he 

 will soon begin to labor, pound the ground, very 

 likely forge, and the character of his action will 

 be destroyed. With a good judge, the character 

 of the action is of more importance than the 

 amount of it, and he would not look a second 

 time at a horse that labors and pounds, no matter 



