OVERCOMING INERTIA. XXXvii 



and is elevated a trifle, the toe of the fore-foot on the same side is in 

 close proximity to the hind-foot, which is thrust partly under it, if 

 even they go clear. 



The sharp bend in the knee, as shown on page xxi, is when the 

 supporting legs are nearly vertical. This part of the stride is when 

 the legs are so far apart that injury is impossible excepting to the el- 

 bow, and the scalping wound is given when the fore-foot has just left 

 the ground. To overcome the inertia of the toe-weight, there is a 

 quicker motion — a sort of snatch — which takes it out of the way be- 

 fore the hind-feet come under the front. It may require quite a 

 heavy weight at first to call forth the muscular energy necessary, and 

 as the animal becomes accustomed to this action, the weights are re- 

 duced, and, perhaps, finally abandoned. As has been stated, Director 

 is an instance, and Mr. McKinney presents another, and I give it in 

 his own words : " Last season I purchased a young mare at a i*ound 

 price. She was wearing pound shoes and six-ounce toe-weights. I 

 thought her fast, and paid for speed when I bought her. I sent her 

 to the ti'ack;.four weeks did not improve her speed. I brought her 

 home, and took her in hand myself. First time I speeded her I saw 

 the toe-weights were not wanted — made her fold too much, and 

 caused her to dwell — and they were dispensed with. Next day I 

 concluded the shoes, instead of weighing a pound, should weigh no 

 more than twelve ounces ; in fact, removed eleven ounces from her 

 feet, and in ten days I improved her speed ten seconds. Now, the 

 man I bought her of was all right in weighting her at first, as she 

 lacked action when he bought her, and the weights made her quite a 

 trotter, but he did not know when to begin to unload." 



There are so many illustrations of the same kind that it would re- 

 quire chapters to give a small portion of them, and any person who 

 has the least acquaintance with horses that have worn them is aware 

 of the fact. Now, if it were a mere mechanical effect akin to the 

 counterbalance on a wheel, to which a crank and piston is attached, 

 the weight would be an imperative necessity at all times. If even 

 the effect were due to the i)osition the weight bore to the extensoi-s, 

 as has been claimed, there it would have to stay. But granting that 

 the pupil realizes that it has learned a better method of handling it$ 



