NEUROTOMY ON TROTTING HORSES. 
301 
no use; and so long as there was no sensibility in her feet she 
could not trot a bit. The following summer she became lame 
again through reunion of the ends of the nerves, and she could 
trot quite as fast as ever without boots or weights. 
The similarity of these cases and the circumstances connected 
with them set me to thinking. I knew three or four horse-dealers 
who had had large experience with lame horses and with those 
that had been neurotomized, and made it a point to ask them 
some questions. All of them had seen cases similar to those that 
I have described, and one of them had arrived at the same con¬ 
clusion I had in regard to them. 
This opinion, which has been strengthened by other observa¬ 
tions, was that it is unwise and unsafe to operate on any trotter 
that spreads his hind legs wide apart and carries the hind feet 
outside of the front ones in quick action. In both the cases re¬ 
lated the tendency to this peculiarity was marked, and the flexion 
and extension of the hind limbs particularly bold. The effect of 
destroying the pain in the front feet either increased their action, 
or their time was disarranged in some way, producing a discord¬ 
ant movement in the relative stroke of the hind and front limbs, 
so that the contact between them came about in a way impossible 
to prevent by ordinary means, and rendered fast trotting impos¬ 
sible. 
On the other hand, I should conclude that, other things being 
favorable, a horse that is “ close-gaited,” having less “lift and 
swing ” to the hind feet and limbs, and carrying them straight 
under the body in rapid action, would go faster after the operation 
than he would if incurably lame in the front feet. 
In the study of the action of the horse in fast trotting, wide 
latitude of thought and investigation may be exercised. I trust 
the suggestions I have made may do some good, not only in add¬ 
ing to an inadequate fund, but that they may lead to and develop 
others more important and of greater value. 
Let us hope also that improvements in breeding, and in the 
management of the horse’s foot, will in the future lessen the 
necessity for the operation of neurotomy, concerning the utility 
and humanity of which there will always be some doubt. 
