WAY OF GOING— THE FUNCTION 29 



Mechanical appliances are chiefly accessories to the handling 

 and schooling of horses. They consist of the bit, shoes, weight, 

 and hopples. 



Bit. — The influence of the bit is strongly suggestive of one 

 or the other ways of going, as discussed under equitation. 



Shoes. — The style of the shoe and the dressing of the foot 

 for its application have considerable influence on the way of 

 going. By shortening or lengthening the toe, the breaking over 

 is either facilitated or retarded, "with a consequent shortening 

 or lengthening of the stride ; by raising or lowering the inner or 

 outer quarter, the point at which breaking over takes place may 

 be regulated, within limits. 



Weight. — By either putting weight on or taking it off the 

 foot, the stride is heightened or lowered. Weight may be secured 

 either by permitting an abnormal growth of the foot itself or in 

 the shoe. Weight fixed at the toe promotes extension on the prin- 

 cijile of the pendulum, the weight coming into play toward the 

 end of the stride to carry the foot out. On the otlier hand, weight 

 well back in the shoe, toward the heel, is believed to be conducive 

 to action by calling for extra flexion, in order to lift the foot. 

 Whatever alterations are made in the matter of shoeing or 

 weighting must be gradual, in order not to imbalance the horse 

 in his stride. 



Hopples. — By uniting a hind and a fore leg by means of 

 hopples, a horse is held to his stride and prevented from break- 

 ing, mixing, or going any other gait. The straps are crossed or 

 straight, depending upon whether the horse trots or paces. 

 Hopples about the pasterns are sometimes put on harness horses 

 to develop action. 



Going Surface. — While not of a mechanical nature, the char- 

 acter of the surface on which the horse steps has a marked influ- 

 ence on the kind of stride he takes. As a general rule, heavy, 

 soft, or deep going causes a high stride, while a hard, smooth 

 surface is more conducive to speed. Of the speed horses, trotters 

 and pacers reqiiire the hardest, smoothest track. Heavy going 

 frequently influences double-gaited horses to trot instead of pace 

 and seriously interferes with pacing performance. Eunners do 



