XXXVIU THE PROPER SWING. 



limbs to progress according to the wishes of the driver, then it is 

 easily understood why the weight can be thrown aside when the 

 lessons have been learned. Even with the larger intelligence of the 

 human family, mechanical contrivances are resorted to to correct 

 faults in the "style" of the athlete, the dancer and the soldier. The 

 proper swing, as it may be termed, cannot be mastered mthout using 

 methods that compel the proper action, and these have to be pereisted 

 in until habit overcomes the dilatonness of natural gifts. When the 

 jerk was fii-st given to overcome the unusual weight the animal dis- 

 covered that the usual injury did not follow. Thousands of times 

 rejieated, confidence was established, and by that time it became 

 much easier to make the proper motions. With that i-esult the 

 weights have accomplished the purpose, and further than that, there 

 is the drawback of carrying the " ounce on the heel." 



In the fir'st chapter of this apj^endix I wr'ote that weight is a draw- 

 back to the race-horse, an advantage to the trotter. I will have to 

 modify that statement after the lapse of two years, and change it so 

 as to read that weight is advantageoirs in the education of many 

 trottere, but I am greatly in doubt of any benefit acci'uing after the 

 schooling has progr-essed to a certain stage. Further than that, I 

 have faith that the trotter of the future will be relieved from the 

 incumbrance of heavy masses of metal on the feet, whether irr the 

 shape of shoes or weights, though the latter may always prove one of 

 the main r-esources for the correction of wrong movements. It is 

 rather mor-tifying, however, to surrender a position thought to be so 

 well fortified that the fort could be held for any length of time, and 

 in place of an essay replete with erudition, admit an ignorance that 

 I anr well aware exists. To be eandid, I must confess that to recon- 

 cile the conflicting testimony is beyond my capacity at present, so 

 far as an explanatory elucidation of the reasons for well-established 

 efiects, and in lieu of such a dissertation, will give a description of 

 some of the kinds that have come under my observation, the reasons 

 I have for a preference for some of the patterns, and the difference 

 required in those that are worn with tips. Tliis will include some nov- 

 elties confined to my individual pr-actice, and which, so far as tested, 

 are more satisfactory. It will, of course, be unnecessary to occupy 



