SHOEING HORSES. 327 



their natural form is, sooner or later, bound to result in sore- 

 ness or lameness for the horse. 



My experience is that the best way to balance the trotter 

 or roadster is to balance the feet themselves and adjust a shoe 

 that carries out perfectly that balance. Shoes, however, may 

 be so made and adapted as to temporarily change the action of 

 the knee hitter, the elbow hitter, the forger, the scalper, and 

 other wrong and deviating gaits ; but they will not cure the 

 animal of any of these faults if the foot that offends be still 

 allowed to remain in that faulty position that caused the 

 irregularity complained of. 



A serious objection to the use of such inventions is that 

 most of them do actual harm to the joint tendons and muscles 

 of the animal. It should ever be borne in mind that the in- 

 stinct of the horse suggests to him the action or gait that is the 

 easiest for him to use, and such he will invariably employ. 

 Should this motion be wrong and not in proper rhythm, and the 

 animal is forced to adopt, by the use of artificial appliances, 

 any other line of action without the faulty articulation being 

 corrected, he will do so at a cost of injury to some parts of the 

 motive power. 



■ One of the most frequent causes of unbalanced gaits is the 

 constant cutting away at the heels, leaving the front of the foot 

 all out of proportion as to depth and length. The only proper 

 way to " balance the trotter " is to have his feet truly balanced 

 and in proper proportion and at proper angle to the limbs they 

 support, so that the articulation will be as near £rictionless as 

 possible. 



"With this condition maintained, the animal's instinctive 

 action will be even and true, with perfect rhythm. As to the 

 proportion and angle of the foot to the limb, get the foot at 

 the proper depth and length in front and at the heels so that to 

 the eye it will look as though it was set under the leg in 

 artistic comfort. When it is thought that you have the feet 

 well balanced and in proper position and angle to the limbs, 

 rasp off the edge of the walls at surface and drive the horse a 



