CHAPTEE VII. 



DiFFEKENCES OF OPINION IN REGARD TO PrOPER AcTION- 



Effects OF Changes in Shoeing — Practical 

 Examples — Etc. 



The consideration of the action of horses, trotters especially, en- 

 tails trouble at the outset. It is a subject on which there are such 

 a variety of opinions that it will be almost impossible to take a de- 

 cided position. One man of great experience favors " high action ; " 

 another, equally as well versed, prefers that which the old writers 

 denominated " round ;" and still another, whose thorough knowledge 

 of the subject is undoubted, is partial to as little bending of the 

 knee, and the elevation of the hock, as is consistent with sufficient 

 length of stride. 



The first will say that the action he fancies is never accompanied 

 mth a dilatory motion, and that the energy that compels the super- 

 fluous i-aising of the limbs is a token of speed. The second will 

 claim that there is a happy medium which insures the best results, 

 and the third will call attention to the husbanding of the muscular 

 power and the capacity of the latter to keep up a more uniform rate, 

 retaining the speed when the others lose it. Fortunately, there are 

 two horses in California which represent the extremes, and the two 

 are of such merit that better examples could not be found if the 

 whole country were prospected. Judge Fullerton is a type of the 



