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J. Moore</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Balancing and Shoeing Trotting and Pacing Horses</p> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Wm. J. Moore</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: August 19, 2021 [eBook #66089]</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</div> - -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BALANCING AND SHOEING TROTTING AND PACING HORSES ***</div> - -<div class='tnotes covernote'> - -<p class='c000'><strong>Transcriber’s Note:</strong></p> - -<p class='c000'>The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.</p> - -</div> - -<div class='titlepage'> - -<div> - <h1 class='c001'>BALANCING and SHOEING<br /> <span class='xlarge'><span class='sc'>Trotting</span> and <span class='sc'>Pacing Horses</span></span></h1> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c002'> - <div>By</div> - <div><span class='large'>WM. J. MOORE</span></div> - <div class='c003'>Allen Farm, Pittsfield, Mass.</div> - <div class='c003'><span class='small'>NEW ENGLAND’S GREATEST NURSERY OF SPEED</span></div> - <div class='c003'><span class='xsmall'><span class='sc'>Cleveland, Ohio</span></span></div> - <div><span class='xsmall'><span class='sc'>Press of The Judson Printing Company</span></span></div> - <div><span class='xsmall'>1916</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c004'> - <div><span class='small'><i>Copyright 1916, by Wm. J. Moore</i></span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_frontispiece.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>ALLEN FARM BLACKSMITH SHOP—KREMLIN 2:07¾, <span class='sc'>Age 29.</span><br /><br /><span class='small'><span class='sc'>Robt. Shankland</span> <span class='sc'>W. J. Moore</span></span><br /></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter ph1'> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c004'> - <div>A TREATISE</div> - <div class='c003'>—ON—</div> - <div class='c003'>THE ART OF SHOEING HORSES</div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - -<div> - <h2 class='c005'>INTRODUCTION.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>This is a plain, unvarnished and practical treatise on -the art of balancing and shoeing trotting and pacing horses, -unclouded by little known technical and scientific words -and phrases, but written by the author, <span class='sc'>Wm. J. Moore</span>, in -his own every day words that can be easily understood by -any horseman.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Mr. Moore, who has spent his life in the business of -horse shoeing, was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1865, -and later had charge of the Horse Shoeing Department -of the Allen Farm at Pittsfield, Massachusetts, for a period -of over twenty years, and he is still so engaged at Allen -Farm.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Mr. Moore’s experience as a horse shoer dates from -the time when he commenced work in a horse shoeing shop -as an apprentice, at the age of 16 years. Since which time -horse shoeing has been his sole occupation.</p> - -<p class='c007'>During this period of 35 years Mr. Moore has shod -many noted trotting and pacing horses, and his long, varied -and successful experience justifies the belief that no one is -better qualified to write on this subject, and to offer advice -in regard to it, than is he, and it is also the belief of those -best qualified to judge, that no work of this sort, heretofore -written, is more entitled to the confidence of, and acceptance -by, the people who own trotting and pacing horses, for -whatever purpose they may be used.</p> - -<p class='c007'>With this short preamble in the way of an introduction, -we will let Mr. Moore tell his readers in his own words and -in his own way how to shoe a trotter or a pacer, so that it -may do its best work in the easiest way, and for the greatest -benefit to its owner.</p> - -<div class='lg-container-r'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'><span class='sc'>W. R. Allen</span>,</div> - <div class='line in4'>Pittsfield, Massachusetts.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='lg-container-l'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>June, 1916.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>INDEX</h2> -</div> - -<table class='table0' summary='INDEX'> - <tr> - <th class='c008'></th> - <th class='c009'> </th> - <th class='c010'><span class='small'>Page</span></th> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>I.</td> - <td class='c009'>Foals</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_1'>1</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>II.</td> - <td class='c009'>Preparing the Foot</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_3'>3</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>III.</td> - <td class='c009'>A Trotter Inclined to Singlefoot and Pace</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_6'>6</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>IV.</td> - <td class='c009'>Causes of Rough Gait</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_7'>7</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>V.</td> - <td class='c009'>Shin hitting in Front</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_8'>8</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>VI.</td> - <td class='c009'>To Prevent Winging in</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_8'>8</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>VII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Shin hitting Behind</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_9'>9</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>VIII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Knee and Arm Hitting</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_10'>10</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>IX.</td> - <td class='c009'>Shoeing a Knee knocker</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_12'>12</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>X.</td> - <td class='c009'>A Bad Hitter</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_13'>13</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XI.</td> - <td class='c009'>A Hitting Pacer</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_14'>14</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Elbow Hitting</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_15'>15</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XIII.</td> - <td class='c009'>An Unusual Case</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_17'>17</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XIV.</td> - <td class='c009'>Paddling</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_17'>17</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XV.</td> - <td class='c009'>To Prevent Paddling</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_19'>19</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XVI.</td> - <td class='c009'>Hitching, Hopping and Running Behind</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_19'>19</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XVII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Forging</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_21'>21</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XVIII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Scalping</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_23'>23</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XIX.</td> - <td class='c009'>Remedy for Scalping</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_23'>23</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XX.</td> - <td class='c009'>Sideweights</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_25'>25</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXI.</td> - <td class='c009'>Wheel Swinging</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_26'>26</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Knuckling Over</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_27'>27</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXIII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Stumbling</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_27'>27</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXIV.</td> - <td class='c009'>Speedy Cutting</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_28'>28</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXV.</td> - <td class='c009'>A Bad One</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_30'>30</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXVI.</td> - <td class='c009'>Gaiting Colts</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_31'>31</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXVII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Neglected Hind Feet</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_35'>35</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXVIII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Knee Action</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_37'>37</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXIX.</td> - <td class='c009'>Slow Get Away, Fast Finish</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_37'>37</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXX.</td> - <td class='c009'>To Convert a Pacer</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_39'>39</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXXI.</td> - <td class='c009'>Converting a Trotter</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_40'>40</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXXII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Contracted Heels</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_41'>41</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXXIII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Cause of Contracted Heels</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_43'>43</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXXIV.</td> - <td class='c009'>Corns</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_43'>43</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXXV.</td> - <td class='c009'>Toe Crack</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_44'>44</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXXVI.</td> - <td class='c009'>Quartercrack</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_44'>44</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXXVII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Dished Toe</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_46'>46</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXXVIII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Concussion</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_46'>46</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XXXIX.</td> - <td class='c009'>Founder</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_48'>48</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XL.</td> - <td class='c009'>Cross-firing Pacers</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_49'>49</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XLI.</td> - <td class='c009'>Important Note</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_50'>50</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XLII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Level Feet</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_52'>52</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XLIII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Pulling on One Line</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_54'>54</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XLIV.</td> - <td class='c009'>A Judge of Gait</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_55'>55</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XLV.</td> - <td class='c009'>Bar Shoes</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_55'>55</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XLVI.</td> - <td class='c009'>Slipping</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_57'>57</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XLVII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Sideweight Shoes</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_58'>58</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XLVIII.</td> - <td class='c009'>Toeweight Shoes</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_59'>59</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XLIX.</td> - <td class='c009'>Pocket Weights</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_60'>60</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>L.</td> - <td class='c009'>Interfering</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_60'>60</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='c009'>Conclusion</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#Page_63'>63</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_1'>1</span> - <h2 class='c005'>THE ART OF SHOEING HORSES.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>There is something in the foot of the horse that has -been a mystery to many who have been unable to find out -the secrets by reading some of the books that have been -printed on the different subjects, and experimenting on the -same, pertaining to a perfect balance of the trotter and -pacer when in action.</p> - -<p class='c007'>I have shod all kinds of horses and have come in contact -with all kinds of feet, and with the results gotten by -practical experiments, I will try to enlighten my readers -and the lovers of the light-harness horse.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>I. FOALS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>The feet of the suckling foal should be properly fixed -every four or five weeks. After the foal is eight or nine -weeks old his feet need fixing regularly. To fix the feet -on the young foal shorten the toes as much as the foot will -stand without making the foot tender, and then rasp the -quarters down to a level with the frog, or a little lower than -the top of the frog will be better, then round the sharp -edges of foot off so as the foal will not cut his legs with -the sharp edges and the job is completed. Do not cut out -the bars, or the sole, or the frog. Now if you have noticed -that a foal stands toeing out, leave the inside of the toe of -that foot a little the longest from the coronet, an eighth or -three-sixteenths of an inch will be a benefit to the foot, also -to the line of action later on, and if the foal toes in, leave -the outside of the toe the longest, as it will help to straighten -matters in the line of action.</p> - -<p class='c007'>In fixing the foal’s feet it is very good to rasp the -quarters and heels low enough so as to give a slight frog -<span class='pageno' id='Page_2'>2</span>pressure when the foot comes in contact with the ground. -Frog pressure assists expansion and prevents contraction; -a short natural foot with a slight frog pressure during the -first and second year is one of the surest ways to prevent -a bad gait or a <i>ruptured tendon</i>, in later years. Young foals -should have their feet picked out two or three times a week -to ventilate around the frog, because the filth that usually -gets lodged around there will be almost sure to cause heat, -and in consequence a diseased frog, which perishes away -and allows the heels to contract. A contracted foot is a -very bad thing and causes trouble in more ways than one. -If the feet on foals are left to grow too long, the inside -heels will cave in or become contracted from the position -they rest on them while grazing. To prevent this keep them -cut down, if not you will have to use hoof expanders to -get the foot back to its natural position.</p> - -<p class='c007'>One of the most important factors in keeping the feet -on sucklings, weanlings and yearlings in proper condition -as is specified in this article is to see that you are keeping -the leg in the middle of the foot, otherwise many a good -horse suffers, as the concussion and strain is not equally -distributed on both sides of the foot when in action. If the -feet on sucklings, weanlings, yearlings and two-year-olds -are kept properly fixed, quarters and heels kept low enough -so as to receive a slight frog pressure, this means at the -proper angle, you will not have any elbow hitters and very -few knee-knockers. If you have a yearling that hits his -knees you have not kept his legs in the middle of his feet -by keeping his heels and quarters rasped down, which will -make it easier to prevent winging into his knees than if he -had a contracted inside quarter, which is the case when -neglected.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_3'>3</span> - <h2 class='c005'>II. PREPARING THE FOOT FOR THE SHOE.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>To fix feet is the most important part of shoeing the -horse. In fixing the foot, the first thing to take into consideration -is, what sort of work are you fixing the foot for, -is it for a draft horse, a road horse, or a trotter or a pacer? -Does the horse wing, paddle, speedy-cut or cross-fire, does -he hit his ankles, shins, knees, arms, hocks, or elbows? Is -his action too high or too low? Is he too long or too short -gaited? Is he striding longer with one leg than another?</p> - -<p class='c007'>If you go to work and cut the feet down without -taking some of these faulty things into consideration you -are liable to get his feet just to the reverse way to what -they should be, and place him in an uncomfortable position -instead of a comfortable one. In preparing the bottom of -a horse’s foot you must bear in mind that the foot can be -fixed to straighten out different kinds of faulty action, and -if you have not learned it by a close study of experimenting -or by being taught by some one that knew all the different -ways of balancing a foot on the leg to correct faulty action, -then to learn this you will have to have it explained to you -and you should see the job executed, see it done, and then -go and see the results obtained, while the horse is in action. -Then you will know that something is accomplished by -scientifically fixing the feet to correct faulty action; you -have to show people nowadays.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Why I say that fixing the feet is the most important -part of shoeing, and the most difficult to get done, is because -the farriers that can level and balance feet of rough -gaited trotters and pacers to assist nature in correcting -faulty action are very scarce, some of them cannot think -long enough while cutting with the rasp and knife, and the -first thing you know they have cut one side of the foot -too low and are not able to cut the opposite side on a level -to the side that was cut wrong.</p> - -<p class='c007'><span class='pageno' id='Page_4'>4</span>Now to fix the feet of a horse whether front or hind, -begin with the foot first that looks to be the highest at the -heels, because if you should start to fix two feet and one -foot is a good deal lower at the heels than the other you -cannot cut the heels of the foot that are the highest low -enough to place the foot at the same angle with its mate, -if you had fixed the foot that had the lowest heels first.</p> - -<p class='c007'>A good rule in fixing feet, and you will find it true -nine times out of ten, is, when fixing <i>front feet</i>, always -cut the <i>outside</i> from toe to heel down <i>first</i>, unless you are -shoeing a <i>paddler</i>, then cut the inside of the foot down to -a level to correspond with the outside that was fixed first. -The reason for fixing feet in this manner, is, if you should -cut the inside down first chances are you would not be -able to cut the outside to a level with the inside, for you -will cut to the sensitive part, on the outside of a front foot, -quicker than the inside, and it is just to the reverse with -hind feet. The front feet should not be left high on the -outside, unless the horse is a <i>paddling gaited one</i>, for it -creates friction, or a strain on landing and leaving the -ground, it also helps to create faulty action. Nearly all -the hard shin, knee and arm hitters I have come in contact -with, their front feet were highest on the outside, low on -inside, or a contracted inside quarter, and sometimes a -very badly contracted inside quarter at that. To fix front -feet of trotters and pacers for different purposes or ways -of going you can refer to the index on the different subjects -in this book.</p> - -<p class='c007'>There is very little attention paid to the hind feet. -They try to get them the same length and angle, but there -are very <i>few hind feet</i> properly fixed to control a perfect -line of action, to lengthen or shorten the stride, to -close or widen the action or to elevate or lower the action. -There are very few floormen that can level and balance a -hind foot. In preparing it for a shoe to correct faulty -<span class='pageno' id='Page_5'>5</span>action, the majority of them do not know how to hold the -leg to look at the bottom of the foot to tell which side is -highest. They should keep in mind while fixing the foot, -the results they are trying to get; if they do not, they are -liable to get the foot too low on one side or the other. -A hind foot that is left the highest on the inside is a dangerous -weapon to a trotter or pacer; it will cause injury to -ankle ligaments and to bones of the foot. In the majority -of cases the angle of a hind foot should be several degrees -shorter than the angle of the front feet. A hind foot that -is left the highest on the inside on a trotter or pacer will -have a tendency to close up the line of action of the hind -leg and create cross-firing and shin, hock, ankle and pastern -hitting. As the coffin or pedal bone of a horse’s foot -is symmetrical in shape, it is not proper to have wings of -abnormal growth more on one side of the foot than on the -other, for this constitutes an unbalanced foot. If it -measures more on one side of the foot than on the other, -from the center of the frog, make both sides alike, to -balance up matters and to conform with the shape of the -coffin bone inside; if the toe of one foot is longer than -that of the other it creates a longer leverage to leave the -ground from, therefore the stride of that leg would naturally -be a little longer, everything else being equal. If the -heels of one foot are left higher than those of its mate, -the stride would be a little shorter and the jar or concussion -greater. A good rule in fixing <i>hind</i> feet is, always -cut or rasp the <i>inside</i> of foot down <i>first</i>, because you can -always get the outside of a hind foot cut down to the level -of the inside. A foot should be fixed so that the leg will -be kept in the middle of the foot. If the foot has a contracted -quarter, one side or the other, you cannot do it -until the contracted quarter is expanded, which is easily -done (see article on contracted feet). It is difficult to fix -feet to suit the leg, and line of action, and also some people’s -<span class='pageno' id='Page_6'>6</span>eye, all at the same time. The frog of the horse’s foot -should never be cut, if it is in a healthy state. A diseased -frog that has loose fragments hanging to it may be trimmed -off so as not to be holding filth. Never cut the <i>heels open</i> -with a knife or rasp to make the foot look wider across the -heels, a practice that has long existed with some people. It -is unnatural, it helps to contract the heels, and shortens the -bearing surface from toe to heel. Any one that does this -is dangerous. Trimming out the frog, opening the heels -with the knife, cutting out the bars, and too much of the -sole, will give you a hoofbound and contracted sore-footed -horse, it will help to shorten up his gait and sometimes -make him rough gaited. Feet of this kind cannot stand -the jar or concussion that feet can that have been properly -treated.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>III. A TROTTER INCLINED TO SINGLEFOOT AND PACE.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>The first thing to do is to change the angle of his -front feet to a longer one by rasping the quarters and heels -down several degrees, do not take anything off the toes. -The hind feet should be in length and angle nearly the -same as the front feet, perhaps an eighth of an inch shorter -at the toe, and within 3 degrees of the same angle. The -second thing is to add about 3 or 4 ounces more weight to -the front shoes, and a little more if needed, after you have -tried the former. If the horse carries a toe weight put -it on also. The third thing to do is to put calks on the -hind shoes, toe and heel, using as light a shoe as possible. -The fourth thing to do is to allow the animal to go as -<i>low headed</i> as possible, this is <i>very important</i>. The changes -in the footing of different tracks will sometimes cause a -horse to become all unbalanced. Slipping is very bad for a -horse when at speed; it unbalances the action and creates -muscle soreness, and the poor animal is made to suffer torture -<span class='pageno' id='Page_7'>7</span>by some of the drivers or trainers, because the animal -does not perform as well on a track that don’t suit the shoeing -as he did on a previous occasion that did suit, the same -way shod. I must say in reference to trotters that are -inclined to singlefoot and pace that in fixing the hind feet -I would prefer to get the angle of the hind feet as near to -the angle of the front feet as possible, because it helps to -confine them to the pure trot. The shorter the toe and -angle of the hind feet as compared with the front, the -quicker they will go into a singlefoot and pace. The causes -of the roughness in the gait of the trotter are that the feet -are at too short an angle, not carrying weight enough in -front, and checked too high, or slipping too much.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>IV. CAUSES FOR BECOMING ROUGH GAITED.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>The front feet or the hind feet are not mates, or -<i>high heels on one foot and low heels on the opposite</i>; they -are cut too low on one side to hang level compared with -the opposite side of the same foot, a long toe on one -foot and a short toe on the opposite foot; these variations -create a different angle, when it should be the same; that -is, the front feet should be mates and the hind feet should -be mates. Cutting out the frog, bars and sole, and opening -the heels with the knife will also lead to a rough gait -when the foot is dry and hard, and the horse strikes a -hard track at speed. Carrying head too high, too low, -or to one side, or pulling on bit too strong will do the -same thing.</p> - -<p class='c007'>After fixing the front feet as directed, do not leave -the heels on the hind feet high or the toes of the hind -feet too short, fix the hind feet by leaving the toes long -enough and the heels low enough to create an angle to -within a few degrees the same as the front feet. This -will prevent breaking over too quick which increases the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_8'>8</span>liability to singlefoot, and fixing hind feet this way -lengthens the stride and helps to confine the action to the -trot longer and purer.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>V. SHIN HITTING OF THE FRONT LEGS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>A foot left too high on the outside from centre of -toe back to the outside heel will cause this. Some travel -very close and others wing in: this winging in is not always -because of an imperfect or unbalanced foot, sometimes -it is caused by a deformity of the leg, or a contraction -of the muscles or ligaments, sometimes they will -be either longer or stronger on one side of the leg than -on the other, which has a tendency to control winging -or paddling. To fix a foot that is hitting the shins of -the front legs, shorten the toe to a natural length foot, -while doing this keep lowering the outside of the foot, -leaving the inside of the foot quite a bit higher, by actual -measurement, in some cases a quarter of an inch higher or -longer is not too much. Shoe with a plain shoe or a side -weight shoe with the heavy side of shoe on the inside of -each foot, the heavy or wider side of the shoe will prevent -sinking in the ground, which will help matters. Bevel -or hot rasp the inside edge of shoe from the inside toe -back to the quarters. Shoe with the weight that the horse -goes best with.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>VI. HOW TO MAKE A SHOE TO PREVENT WINGING IN.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Make a heavy side weight shoe, the same kind of -shoe as for a paddler but the weight or heavy side of -shoe will have to be on the inside of the foot. Fix the -feet, according to article in this book on winging in, to -receive this shoe. Bevel or round off the inside toe back -to quarters on this shoe. With the foot properly fixed -<span class='pageno' id='Page_9'>9</span>for this shoe there will be an immediate change. If a -toe weight is used keep spur towards inside toe from -centre of foot but not far enough to hit knee boot.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>VII. SHIN HITTING OF THE HIND LEGS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>There are different causes for this trouble. In the -trotter it is because the hind action and the front action -do not work in harmony with one another. Excessive -hind action will cause it, or excessive front action in some -cases will cause it. A front foot that is highest or longest -on the outside toe will cause it. What will cause it the -quickest and more severely is a <i>high inside</i> on the <i>hind -foot</i>, especially on a horse that has been going open gaited -behind. If your horse has plenty of action in front and is -going in a medium light shoe I would advise you to level -his hind feet; be sure and do not have the <i>inside</i> of hind -feet the <i>highest</i> (which is nearly always the case), but if -anything have it a shade the lowest, and shoe the hind -feet with an outside weight shoe several ounces heavier -than he has been carrying; this will widen his hind action -and when he gets to going the weight will keep him outside -and clear. This weight can be decreased as his gait -is being perfected. The most particular part of this will -be to get his <i>feet properly</i> prepared to help the line of -action.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Perhaps your horse is short in his front action, low -and dwelling gaited, too much so for his hind action, if -so, shoe him in front with heavier shoe, say 5 ounce -heavier or even more as the case may need, bevel or roll -the toe, also bevel the outside edge from the outside toe -to heel of front shoes where the shin hitting is done. If -your horse wings in towards his knees or arms, the inside -of front feet should be left the highest. I prefer in shoeing -such horses to keep them going as close in line as possible -<span class='pageno' id='Page_10'>10</span>with hind legs and if he cannot, without interference, -then they will have to go outside (see article on how to -widen hind action).</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>VIII. KNEE AND ARM HITTING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>This has been a great worry to “the smart set,” “the -know it alls” for many years, as to what causes it, and -what to do to help or prevent it. Winging in is caused -sometimes by a deformity, or by contracted muscles or -ligaments stronger on one side of the leg than on the other; -sometimes deformed feet, or a badly contracted inside quarter -will be the cause of some of this trouble, because the -weight of the horse at the ankle drops over the inside heel -instead of coming down in the middle of the foot. A contracted -inside quarter and a high or long outside toe are -dangerous weapons for a horse to be carrying, one of these -at a time is bad enough, but when a foot is troubled with -both it is <i>very bad</i>. If your knee or arm hitter has a contracted -quarter on a front foot, the first thing to do is to -get a hoof expander and expand the contracted quarter. -This will be an important step towards getting the leg in -the middle of the foot. In all my experience with knee and -arm hitters I have found the offending foot too high on the -outside, with the most of the foot from the center of the -frog on the outside of the leg. With height and width of -foot on the outside of the leg, it is just contrary to science. -To straighten the line of action this needs to be reversed; -edge up the outside edge of the foot from the outside toe -to the point at quarters as much as it will stand, do it at -every shoeing and you will be getting the leg closer to the -middle of the foot. If you can get a little more of the foot -on the inside of the leg than is on the outside, it will be a -benefit to a bad knee and arm hitter. Another thing, the -shorter the toe or angle of a knee hitter the easier he can -leave the ground and the less he will wing in, and the lighter -<span class='pageno' id='Page_11'>11</span>will be the blow if he hits. The knee hitter should be shod -as lightly as he will go at speed, balanced. The lighter the -weight he is carrying the lighter the blow if he strikes. -The best kind of a shoe for a knee hitter is a side weight -shoe with the heavy side on the inside of the foot; good -results are obtained with heel and toe calks, the toe calks -<i>well set back</i> on the toe of the shoe.</p> - -<p class='c007'>These calks on the shoe of a knee and arm hitter -should be a little thin so as to catch hold of the ground as -the foot goes to twist before he picks it up; they will prevent -a certain amount of twisting while the body of the -animal is gliding over the weight-bearing portion of the -leg as the foot leaves the ground. They will have a tendency -to make him break over squarer and not so hard on -the outside toe as the foot is leaving the ground. Now if -your knee hitter wears a toe weight attach it towards the -inside toe as far as possible but not far enough to the -inside so as he will strike the opposite leg with it. When -the feet of a knee hitter have been gotten in the shape as -described herein and shod accordingly; why, the horse will -think that he has been baptized and born over again. A -perfect foot is rare, but with good judgment, a good eye and -a little patience and perseverance a lot can be accomplished -that will surprise some of those that think they know it -all. In a knee hitter, also in an arm hitter, the bones of the -foot and leg do not work true in their sockets, clear up to -the knee, even the joint at the knee does not work true, the -knee joint has a faulty motion, instead of breaking straight -forward, it breaks out sideways as the rest of the leg -starts to wing in. By building the foot mostly to the inside -of the leg and having width and height of foot on the -inside you are taking some of the power away that causes -the winging in, and the breaking outward of the knee. -It is something strange, but I have known knee and shin -and arm hitters to be turned out with their shoes on in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_12'>12</span>paddocks, and you would seldom see them hurt themselves, -but put the harness on, hitch them up, and start them at -speed and take a pull of 75 or 100 pounds on their lower -jaw and the trouble would begin. The directions in this -article for fixing the foot for knee and arm hitting are -also the surest remedy for horses that toe out badly, a -fault that is so objectionable to all horsemen. If you use -a sideweight shoe on a front foot to prevent shin, knee and -arm hitting, the heavy part of shoe should be on the inside -of foot, but if you leave the outside of the foot one-sixteenth -or one-eighth of an inch higher than the inside, you will -be working against the results you are looking for.</p> - -<p class='c007'>It looks strange to many people that an outside weight -shoe to a <i>front foot</i> has a tendency to make a horse wing -in, and the same shoe applied to a hind foot will widen -the hind action, with the foot fixed for that purpose. If -you can fix the foot <i>properly</i> to control the line of action -that you want, you will surely accomplish something. You -should know what angle suits the action best. The foot -should be symmetrical in shape to conform with the coffin -bone, have no more foot on one side of the frog than on -the other side, and the bearing surface to hang so as the -foot will land on and leave the ground as square or level as -possible.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>IX. JOGGING A KNEE KNOCKER WINTER AND SPRING, AND THE BEST WAY TO SHOE AND FIX THE FOOT TO DEVELOP THE MUSCLES.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Lower the outside of the foot of the winging in leg, -and <i>keep it the lowest</i>. Shoe the foot with a <i>very light -shoe</i>, plain or bar shoe, have a side pocket weight made that -will carry from 6 to 9 ounces of lead with a spur on it; cut -or burn a hole in the bottom edge of the foot midway between -toe and heel for the spur, buckle it tight to foot, the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_13'>13</span>weight to be on inside of foot. If the horse wings in with -both front feet use the pocket weights on both feet and fix -both feet as directed above. This will have a wonderful -effect <i>in developing muscle</i> while taking his slow work that -will help to prevent winging in so bad when he begins faster -work. This knee knocker should be shod with a side -weight shoe, the heft of weight on inside of foot, shoe -should be very light on outside. This shoe should be made -thick on inside with a bevel thinned towards the outside -toe, a difficult shoe to make to be used when pocket weights -are discarded for fast work.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>X. A BAD SHIN, KNEE AND ARM HITTER, TROTTER.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>A chronic shin, knee and arm hitter was a horse called -Rustler, owned at Richmond, Va. In the early part of the -summer that he raced so well, he was working miles -around 2:41 and 2:42 but very unsteady, breaking continually. -He would begin by hitting his shins, as speed -was increased he would hit his knees and arms so hard that -he would not stay on the trot. He was brought to me to -shoe by his colored groom, who also brought his boots, as I -had never seen the horse in action, but after seeing the -boots he wore, I saw at a glance he needed as far as gaiting -or balancing was concerned, to be regenerated. He was a -large horse, and his feet had not grown much from the -last shoeing so as I could change them to my liking. I was -informed that he went best in light shoes, but the owner -told me to use my own judgment, so I did. I made a pair -of sideweight shoes, 18 ounces with toe and heel calks, the -heavy side of shoes on the inside of each front foot, the -outside of each front shoe as light as possible. After leveling -his hind feet, a light shoe with heel calks was put on. -The owner, Mr. C. J. Smith of Richmond, Va., came to the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_14'>14</span>shop and looked at the front shoes and did not like the job, -as to the weight and the calks, thinking if he did not knock -a leg off, he would cut boots and legs to smithereens. I -told him I would change them if he thought it best, but -before I got ready to take them off he said leave them on -and I will try them and see what he will do with them. -The groom drove him out to the track, and Mr. Smith, -being present, ordered the groom to drive him a slow mile -as the trainer was not there; he worked the second mile so -easy that he was worked another easy mile in 2:21, the -last quarter well within himself in 33 seconds without a -break, over the same half-mile track on which he could -not beat 2:41 previous to this shoeing. They said when -he got on his stride there was nothing the matter with him. -I had not heard from the horse for nearly a week when -one day as the owner was driving by I hailed him asking -how was Rustler, he said “he is all right, there isn’t a thing -the matter with him.” He went to the races, started in -at Baltimore, Maryland, and after winning seven or eight -consecutive races, finished at Readville a close second in -2:12. Most of his races were won in the same front -shoes it took to balance him, and yet some writers will say -you cannot get immediate results.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XI. SHIN, KNEE AND ARM HITTING PACER.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>H. J. Rockwell and Rustler a pacer and trotter respectively, -would hit and cut their boots something terrible. -I took H. J. Rockwell away from his knees by the mode of -foot fixing and shoeing hereinbefore prescribed and that -made a race horse of him, whereas he had been hitting his -knees for several years. While he was hitting his knees he -was rated as a quitter, but after he began to beat horses -like “B. B.” over the half-mile tracks, the race followers -wanted to know from his trainer, the late F. M. Dodge, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_15'>15</span>what he had done to him. I mention this particular case -because the public or horsemen that knew this horse knew -he was a tough proposition to balance.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XII. ELBOW HITTING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Some horses do this when being speeded. It is caused -by excessive knee action, in folding up of the leg, also in -the flexing of the pastern joint. It is faulty or lost action. -For elbow hitting, as a rule, the horse should be made to go -in as light a shoe as possible, he should get his training -with his front feet kept as low as possible at the quarters -and heels and the foot at an angle of about 49 degrees, he -should be shod as light as possible with plain or bar shoes, -and with as light a <i>toe weight</i> as possible, for the more toe -weight he carries the harder he will go to his elbows. Most -all elbow hitters hit their elbows with the toes of the shoe -while the knee is being elevated. It would be a hard matter -for a horse to hit his elbows with the heels of the shoes -with the knee extended and elevated, for at this time is -when the fold of the knee and flexing of the pastern causes -the toe of the shoe to strike against the elbow. If preparing -the foot for the shoe as stated above and shoeing the -feet light does not stop the elbow hitting apply a bar shoe -with most all the weight in the bar and quarters of the -shoe, the shoe being light as possible around the toe where -the nail holes are punched. Be sure and have the quarters -and heels as low as possible. The reason for low quarters -and heels on an elbow hitter is, that it makes a longer angle -to leave the ground from, and it gives a longer bearing -surface behind the leg, to receive the weight that is in the -quarters and bar of the shoe which is put there to prevent -some of the folding of the knee and some of the flexing of -the pastern that causes the interference. I have been very -successful shoeing elbow hitters with this kind of a shoe. -All elbow hitters should be worked to go as low headed as -<span class='pageno' id='Page_16'>16</span>possible, a standing martingale works well on some. If -you put on too much of a toe weight on some horses that -go close to their elbows it will drive their action to, or -against their elbows. Now this being the case, if toe -weights will drive him to his elbows a heel weight will -usually prevent folding against the elbows.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Now in making this shoe for an elbow hitter it will be -necessary to add from four to six ounces more weight to -the shoes than he has been carrying, but put it all in the -quarters and bar at the heels, and keep adding weight to -the heels of front shoes until he stops hitting his elbows. -This kind of a shoe is to be used when a very light shoe -fails to prevent elbow hitting. Squaring the toe of the -shoe will also help to lighten the blow, or take him that -much farther away from his elbows.</p> - -<p class='c007'>To decrease the lofty folding action of elbow hitters -the foot should be placed at an angle of from 47 to 49 -degrees or as near to that as possible, and add the amount -of weight of shoes he has been carrying to the toe weight -and also add not less than four or five ounces more to each -of a pair of heel weight shoes, when a light one did not -answer. Do not use any toe weight, but if the heel weight -bar shoes are not heavy enough, a heavier shoe or quarter -boot can be used.</p> - -<p class='c007'>One thing that should not be overlooked in a horse -hitting his elbows is his hind action, it should be examined -closely. The hind action may be too dwelling gaited, the -stride may be too short or too long. Now if the hind action -is of a sluggish nature, it will be a benefit to increase his -propelling power, it will drive his elbow an inch, more or -less, away from the flexing of the foot against it. If he is -long and dwelly gaited you can quicken or make him more -rapid, if he is striding too short you can lengthen his stride -by fixing his feet and applying weight. It is very important -to increase his propelling power. A horse that hits his -<span class='pageno' id='Page_17'>17</span>elbows needs to be balanced by foot fixing, and the applying -of weight to go on as light a line as possible, because the -harder he pulls on the bit when at speed the more he is -inclined to hit his elbows.</p> - -<p class='c007'>If the hind stride is too long and dwelly, shorten the -hind toes considerably and use a square toe shoe and raise -the heels with a side calk. If the hind stride is too short -lower the quarters and heels of the hind feet as much as -they will stand and add two or three ounces more weight -to the hind shoes. With toe and heel calks a horse with a -long cannon bone, with lofty action that flexes his foot -from the ground with a snap is more likely to hit his elbows -than a horse with shorter cannon bones.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XIII. AN UNUSUAL CASE OF ELBOW HITTING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>A horse that hits the right elbow with the left foot and -the left elbow with the right foot is seldom seen. The -horse <i>Hunter Hill</i> would begin doing this when going at a -2:40 gait or better, and would act bad and unsteady. He -was brought to me to shoe and I was told he could not -carry any weight. As he had not enough foot to change, I -told the trainer he would have to carry weight to counteract -the faulty winging in to the elbows. I made a pair of -eighteen ounce heavy side weight shoes with the weight on -the inside of each front shoe, thin heel and toe calks, toe -calks well set back on toe of front shoes. These shoes -took him away from his elbows and he raced good over the -half-mile tracks stepping miles around 2:12. After he got -gaited these sideweight shoes were discarded for plain -lighter shoes.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XIV. PADDLING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Just the reverse to winging in, a tiresome lost motion, -a source of worry to horse and driver, especially if the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_18'>18</span>horse has speed and is driven on sharp turns on half-mile -tracks, but it is not as dangerous as the winging in hard -to knees. Paddling is more easily controlled than winging -in. Now to straighten the paddler, fix the foot on the leg -that paddles, by cutting or rasping the inside of the foot -from the inside toe back to the inside heel as low as possible, -leaving the outside toe the highest or longest to leave -the ground from. Be sure and have the inside of foot the -lowest, the outside toe the longest. To begin this an angle -close to 50 degrees or less, say 49, will have wonderful -effect. The long or high toe on the outside will have a -tendency to make the leg wing towards his knees at speed -which is the controlling influence against paddling. The -long or high outside toe is the part that has to leave the -ground the last, which <i>creates winging</i>, and helps to stop -paddling. To shoe a paddler, shoe with a light shoe, with -as little weight as possible to go balanced. The more -weight the more he will paddle, the less weight the less -paddle.</p> - -<p class='c007'>The best shoe for a bad paddler is a sideweight shoe -extra heavy on the outside of foot, bevel the outside edges -of front shoes good. If the change of action is not quick -enough you can use a toe weight placed on the foot well -to the outside toe of foot. When I could not get the inside -of foot low enough compared with the outside of foot I -have made the front shoes thicker on the outside than the -inside. When you have fixed the feet and shod a paddler -this way you will begin to think that paddling can be stopped -when at speed. Most paddlers must go as light in front as -possible. With the feet fixed and shod as herein stated -you will be surprised at the change of action that will -take place when at speed, after a week’s driving. The faster -the paddler is driven the less paddling he will be doing. -The outside of the foot on a paddler needs to be kept the -highest, which is just to the reverse of a knee and arm -<span class='pageno' id='Page_19'>19</span>hitter, this applies to the front feet and action of the front -legs.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XV. HOW TO MAKE A SHOE TO PREVENT PADDLING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Take a piece of iron or steel two or three ounces -heavier than the shoe the horse has been carrying and draw -one end of it very light having it quite thin. Make a heavy -outside weight shoe of it, leaving all the thickness at the -outside toe of shoe, thin the outside heel down to the -same as the inside heel. The outside edge of this shoe will -be thick, but tapering thin to the inside edge of the outside -web of shoe. This shoe begins to get light, narrow and -very thin at centre of toe around to inside heel. Look up -article on foot fixing to prevent paddling at speed when -using this shoe. The horse’s foot will have to leave the -ground from the outside toe of this shoe when stepping -fast and this will have a tendency to make him wing in, -and the line of action will become straighter as the animal -becomes accustomed to it. This change can be quite <i>radical</i>, -on a horse that has been paddling a long time, and not so -rank on young stock just beginning to get gaited. This -shoe does not stop the paddling on all animals when jogging -slow as the foot can leave the ground or break over -from center or inside toe of shoe, which has no control to -prevent a slight paddle.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XVI. HITCHING, HOPPING OR RUNNING BEHIND.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>This way of going comes from different causes. An -unbalanced foot from being improperly fixed, will cause it. -The improper weight of shoes at one end or the other, or -all around, will cause it; speeding a colt or horse that is -pulling too much weight, especially up a grade, will cause -<span class='pageno' id='Page_20'>20</span>it; forging, scalping, speedy cutting, shin and hock hitting -will cause it; carrying the head to one side at times will -cause it; soreness of the back, rump or muscles of whirlbone, -stifle or thigh will cause it.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Examine the faulty leg for soreness, for if the horse -is not lame from soreness somewhere, he can be balanced -to go true. If a horse begins hitching, his fast work should -be stopped until he is properly balanced, for no horse can -improve his speed after he becomes rough gaited without -danger to himself. The first thing to do is to get him -balanced. First, see that his feet are level. Nine times -out of ten you will find his feet are not mates or do not -hang level, you will find the foot on the offending leg that is -doing the damage different from its mate. In all my experience -I have found the foot on the faulty gaited leg to be -very high on the inside, if not at the toe, it would be at the -heel, but the majority of times it would be high from toe -to heel, which would be the main cause of the hitching. -Fix the front feet to hang level, the angle and length of -toes the same. The two hind feet should be at the same -angle and have the same length of toe. The foot of the -faulty going leg should be made the <i>lowest on the inside</i> -and the shoe to be used on this foot must weigh double the -weight or from one to three ounces more than double the -weight of the one on the opposite hind foot. This shoe -can be made with the weight in the outside, with the inside -edge from the centre of toe back to the inside quarter -rounded or beveled off considerably, fit the shoe full to the -outside toe. If the hitching horse is shod according to these -directions and does not begin to go better gaited, it is because -he is lame. If he carries five-ounce shoes behind put -twelve or thirteen ounce on the faulty gaited leg and the -light shoe on perfect gaited leg.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_21'>21</span> - <h2 class='c005'>XVII. FORGING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>This is a very annoying fault and the same rules to -remedy it do not apply to all horses, for what will stop one -may not stop another. Most all forging will be done jogging, -or going an ordinary road gait. From forging comes -the scalping which is very dangerous when the horse begins -to brush along, as scalping creates rough and bad gaited -horses. There are many horses that will forge or scalp -going slow in the same shoes that suit them for speed. It -is hard to shoe all horses with a set of shoes that will suit -the horse, the driver and a faulty gait at varying rates of -speed, all at the same time. Horses that are <i>low gaited</i> in -front that forge jogging, need as a rule, a lot more weight -in their front shoes. Horses that go high gaited with lots -of knee action in front that forge require a light shoe. -Forgers usually have excessive action either in front or -behind. Locate the faulty end, see if the horse has too -much action in front and not enough behind, or if he has -too much behind and not enough in front. Get a line on -his gait before you make any changes, perhaps you may -not have to change but one end of him to either increase -or decrease action. Weight in the shoe is the important -factor applied to a perfectly balanced foot, whether it is a -front foot or a hind foot. You can add weight to the front -or hind feet, as may be desired, to increase action, or decrease -the weight to decrease the action at either end. Now -right here I will say, a horse jogging hardly feels a change -of weight of one, two or three ounces, but will show the -effect of five or six ounces from the start. Do not be afraid -to apply a heavy shoe to hind feet for if his action requires -it to prevent forging, the horse will like it better -and so will you.</p> - -<p class='c007'>In adding weight to hind feet you will be increasing -the hock action and in some horses it will take considerable -weight to do it; horses going an ordinary road gait will -<span class='pageno' id='Page_22'>22</span>not feel one, two or three ounces increase of weight in -hind shoes. Horses stepping fast as a rule do not do any -forging and, of course, the lighter they can go the better. -There are many horses—fast trotters—that forge or scalp -jogging, that would go cleaner or purer by applying a four-ounce -toe weight, some may need a five-ounce weight, lots -of them have to be jogged too fast in order to prevent -forging or scalping, when perhaps a toe weight would be -the remedy. A horse going a 2:10 gait will feel the effects -of a one or two ounce weight as much as one going a slow -gait would feel the effects of four or five ounces.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Take a side view of your horse as he is driven by and -locate the faulty action, you will be able to tell if it is too -short, too long, too high or too low, too rapid or too dwelly, -front or hind action. If the lost action is in front as to -height, extension or rapidity, fix the feet to help the shoes -to perfect the action. If the front action is too low shorten -the toes, leave the heels high or raise them with shoe or -side calks and shoe with a shoe five or six ounces heavier, -more or less, as the action requires, use a square or bevel -toe shoe. A rolling toe shoe is good on slow-going horses, -the horse should carry his head higher than usual. If the -front action is too high, lower the quarters and heels as -low as they will stand, and shoe with a light shoe, and if -there is not extension enough use a toe weight to balance -up action, the horse should carry his head lower, or natural. -If the hind action is too low shorten toes as much as they -will stand and add several ounces more weight and raise -the heels a half inch or more. If hind action is too high -lower quarters and heels as low as they will stand, keeping -plenty of toe on hind feet and shoe with a very light shoe -to prevent slipping. If he is handling his hind legs too -rapid for the front ones, this last sentence will remedy that -also. I have seen obstinate forgers at a slow gait stopped -by carrying from two to three times more weight on the -hind feet than in the front feet, and vice versa, according -to their front or hind action.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_23'>23</span> - <h2 class='c005'>XVIII. SCALPING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>This is a very dangerous fault. When a horse is making -speed and begins scalping, he is unbalanced quite bad, -he needs changing before being speeded again for if you -don’t he or she will get rough gaited, or will begin carrying -the hind leg between front ones, hopping, or trying to run -with hind action. The first thing to do is to examine the -hind feet, you are likely to find the hind feet a lot higher -on the inside than on the outside nine times out of ten. -Some horses will begin scalping after their feet get too -long. In horses with excessive action, carrying too much -weight in front will cause scalping at speed. Horses with -very little action in front and not carrying weight enough -will be liable to scalp at speed. When shoeing for scalping -use a square toe shoe, light or heavy, as may be required -by the front action.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Feet all out of proportion and at the wrong angle and -not level will cause scalping. Now if the animal has very -little hock action and mostly stifle action, I would lower -and shorten the toes of the hind feet as much as possible, -use a square toe shoe and raise the heels with a side calk, -this will shorten the stride and by adding some weight to -the hind shoe it will increase hock action. Most all scalping -is done with front or outside toe of the front shoe -coming in contact with the coronet of hind foot. It hurts -the horse so much that he will try to find some way to -avoid it; some trainers use a gaiting pole to prevent the -horse from going crooked in the shafts because of this fault.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XIX. REMEDY FOR SCALPING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>If the front action is low, long and of a sluggish nature, -shorten the toes of feet considerable and add about five -ounces more weight to the shoes, or more, if required to -create a more lofty knee fold. The action of some horses -<span class='pageno' id='Page_24'>24</span>requires a lot more weight than others to make the change. -The shoes to be used, if working to make speed should be -a square toe shoe, or a beveled toe shoe, also a wedged -shaped shoe thick at the heels and thin at the toe is good, -squared at the toe. For ordinary road driving a rolling toe -shoe is good, but not for extreme speed, as it has a tendency -with most horses to slip back too much on leaving -the ground; and the horse should be made to carry his -head higher than usual. If the front action is high, short, -or too rapid, not working in harmony with the hind, lower -the quarters and heels of front feet as much as they will -stand and keep a fair length toe on the front feet and shoe -with a very light shoe and use a toe weight to balance for -extension, place a spur for toe weight well up on toe of foot -out of way of the scalping; and the horse should be made -to go as low headed as is comfortable to him.</p> - -<p class='c007'>If the hind action is low, long or of a dwelling nature, -shorten the toes as much as they will stand, and shoe, to -elevate the heels, with a thick heel shoe, or raise the heels -with side calks. A few ounces more weight than he has -been carrying will be all the better to make him use his -hocks more. If the hind action is high and choppy with -not much extension, lower quarters and heels as much as -they will stand and keep a fair length toe on him, it will -keep him closer to the ground; and shoe light to prevent -slipping.</p> - -<p class='c007'>A side view of the animal as he is driven by you will -give you the correct view of his front and hind action. If -the action is too short, too long, too high or too low, in -front or behind, the chances are you may not have to change -but one end of him if you have a good eye for locating -faulty action. If your horse is good and can beat his record, -or go the race of his life, and scalps jogging, try a toe -weight on him in front, if it does not stop him wear scalpers -on him jogging and let well enough alone.</p> - -<p class='c007'><span class='pageno' id='Page_25'>25</span>I have had to take a three and one-half ounce shoe off -a colt that trotted eighths of a mile in seventeen and a -quarter seconds, that was scalping jogging, and shoe him -with a ten and a half ounce heel weight shoe nailed back -near quarters of hind feet to prevent him from scalping at -the jog, after two changes in the front shoeing.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XX. SIDEWEIGHTS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Sideweight shoes with the weight on the outside have -a different effect or result on front and hind action. An -outside weight shoe on a front foot has a tendency to make -the leg wing in, and an outside weight shoe on a hind foot -will widen and lengthen the stride, if feet are properly -prepared, so you see it widens the hind action and closes the -front action. To close the action of the front leg with this -sideweight, lower the front foot on the inside. To widen -the action of hind leg, lower the inside of hind feet. This -sideweight shoe will help a paddler that has to carry a little -weight, if you will lower the inside of the foot, but it is -no good for a knee knocker. The outside weight shoe has -a different effect on front and hind action, has a tendency -to close one and widen the other.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Sideweight shoes are good to correct the following -faulty lines of action if the feet are correctly prepared for -them to help the shoe, for if the foot, or feet, are not properly -fixed to help the line of action this faulty fixed foot -will work against the effect of the sideweight, and the results -will be very unsatisfactory. Sideweight shoes are best -for winging in, or paddling out, with front legs, hitching -or hopping or carrying a hind leg in, out of line, or carrying -a hind leg between the front legs, also good for a wheel -swinging hind leg.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_26'>26</span> - <h2 class='c005'>XXI. WHEEL SWINGING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>A trotter that is wheel swinging a hind leg, has developed -a line of action that is tiresome, controlled mostly -by the muscles on the outside of leg, that unbalances action -at speed to a certain extent, and it looks unsightly to a good -judge of gait, when coming to you or going from you. -To correct this faulty line of action of wheel swinging, -keep the toe of hind feet nearly as long as the front feet, -and have the angle of the hind feet within two or three -degrees of the same as the front feet. If the angle of front -feet is fifty degrees have the angle of the hind feet about -fifty-two or three degrees. Lower the outside of hind foot -a full quarter of an inch or more than it will be on the -inside, begin lowering the outside of hind foot at the center -of toe back to outside heel, have both hind feet the same -length and angle. Shoe with a sideweight shoe heaviest -side of shoe on inside of foot, with heelcalks, and place -a thin low calk about one inch long on inside toe of shoe in -line from first to second nail holes. After the first shoeing, -if line of action has not improved as it should, you must -lower the outside of hind foot still more, but if you cannot -lower the foot have a shoe made thicker on the inside toe -and thinner on the outside toe and quarters, with the three -calks on it and there will be more of a change. This change -can be made in the first shoeing if you have enough of -foot to change, but it is best for the horse and owner not to -make too radical a change too quickly. It is best to do it -in two or three shoeings, especially on a horse that has a -lot of speed. Slow going horses can stand more of a radical -change than fast ones.</p> - -<p class='c007'>The directions in this article for the cure of wheel swinging, -by foot fixing and shoeing, will create a sudden -change, at different points, on the bones of the foot and leg, -so as to create a leverage at a particular point as the foot -leaves the ground, to control a more perfect line of action. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_27'>27</span>Be sure your horse is not carrying his head off to one side, -the opposite side to the wheel swinging leg, for if so this -helps to unbalance action and works against the results you -are trying to get to a certain extent. Do not have the outside -heel of shoe any longer than the inside but have both -same length.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXII. KNUCKLING OVER.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>This is caused by weakness, sometimes of the ligaments -that hold the bones of ankle in their sockets, and -sometimes higher up. To shoe for this, the first thing to -do is to prepare the foot. You are likely to find the hind -feet abnormally long, perhaps longer than the front feet. -Lower the toes of hind feet as much as they will stand, -shorten toes by rasping off as much as the foot will stand, -do not <i>touch</i> the heels or have the inside of foot higher -than the outside. Now use a light hind shoe, with side -calks, the calks to be one and a half to two inches long, and -tapering towards the toe of shoe. At the point of heel this -calk should be not less than one-half inch high, the higher -the better, a square toe shoe is much better than a plain -one, shod this way the very best result is obtained at once. -A shoe made thick at heels, three-quarters of an inch or -more, and thin at the toe for ordinary driving is good.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXIII. STUMBLING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Is a very dangerous fault and is from a weakness that -can be helped a lot. The front feet of a stumbler should -be kept as short as possible at the toe. Elevate the heels as -much as would be comfortable to the leg and horse. A -stumbler should be made to carry some weight in his front -shoes because the weight increases knee action, and this is -what you want in a stumbler. Shoe with a toeweight shoe -thick at the heels, for height, and roll the toes of the shoes -<span class='pageno' id='Page_28'>28</span>as much as possible, a bevel toed shoe is also good, keep the -heels middling high, and the toes cut down low and shortened -up. These shoes are not very good for fast work, -as they will slip back too much on leaving the ground, which -retards speed but will help to make speed in lots of slow -ones that require action.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXIV. SPEEDY CUTTING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>A horse that is taking his work and is “speed cutting” -and still continues to be a good actor must be game. Speed -cutting begins at the coronet or a little higher up and continues -up the pastern mostly on the inside of leg to the -top of ankle and even above that. There are three things -that cause this, the most prominent one to look for, is the -inside of the hind feet are a lot higher than the outside; -seven times out of ten the outside of front feet will be -found longer or higher than the inside. The horse may or -may not be carrying the proper weight. If he is pulling a -part of a ton on the bit to hold him together, he is not -properly balanced with weight. The hitting is mostly done -with the outside toe of the front shoe. If you can find -some one who can level and balance these feet on the legs -there will be a big change in the action.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Excessive front, and not enough of hind, action will -cause speed cutting. Excessive hock and stifle action and -not enough action in front will also cause it. When the -action is excessive, decrease it by lowering the quarters and -heels and by shoeing very light, if the action of the other -end needs to be increased, shorten the toes and add weight, -do not be afraid, four to five ounces will be better to experiment -with than one or two. After the horse gains confidence -he may not need any extra weight. The most important -thing will be to find some one who can fix the feet, -and the feet will be found as I have stated above. There -are very few who are good judges of a balanced foot. It -<span class='pageno' id='Page_29'>29</span>takes an expert to detect the high and low side of a foot. -Horses that wing into their knees and those that paddle -away from their knees, and line trotters, contract this -fault because of an improperly prepared foot to control -the faulty line of action and at times not carrying the -proper amount of weight front and hind to balance the -action so that the hind action will work in harmony with -the front.</p> - -<p class='c007'>If the horse wings in toward his knees with one or -both front feet fix the front feet according to the directions -in this book in the chapter on winging in or knee hitting. -If the horse paddles out away from his knees, I refer you -to the chapter on Paddling to prepare his feet by, and use -the shoes therein prescribed. If the front action is excessive -and lofty you must lower the quarters and heels to -give him a longer leverage to leave the ground from, and -shoe with a light shoe, and balance him with a toe weight -for extension, and have the feet the same length and angle.</p> - -<p class='c007'>To prepare the feet on a speedy cutter, rasp down or -lower the inside of foot from centre of toe back to inside -heel to a level or a fraction lower than the outside of the -foot, have the toes of both feet the same length, and at the -angle he shows the most speed with. Shoe with a sideweight -shoe, the heavy side of shoe on the outside of foot -and calked to prevent slipping.</p> - -<p class='c007'>To shorten the hind stride use a light shoe, raise the -heels and shorten the toes of the hind feet as much as they -will stand. To lengthen the stride of the hind feet, lower -the quarters and heels to a longer angle to leave the ground -from, and add several ounces more weight than the horse -has been carrying to each shoe; the inside edges of hind -shoes from the toe back to quarters should be beveled off. -The edges of front shoes should be beveled off on both -outside and inside.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_30'>30</span> - <h2 class='c005'>XXV. A BAD SPEEDY CUTTER.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>The late Freeman M. Dodge of Pittsfield, Mass., trainer -and driver, had a bay mare by the name of “Tillie Wilkes” -that was speedy cutting so bad that he was not able to work -her, and he came to me to find out if I could stop her from -speedy cutting. I told him I could not tell until I saw her -driven. He brought her over and drove her down the -stretch at a three minute gait. This mare had a sore spot -on the lower inside of one hind ankle that was raw, the size -of a silver dollar and when she began touching this spot, -speedy cutting, she would jump and begin running. After -seeing this mare driven I found she had excessive action -in front and very lofty, and her hind action mostly all -stifle action and very little hock action and her feet were -in bad shape. She was driven over the next day to be shod -and I had her shoes ready when she arrived. I fixed this -mare’s front feet by lowering her quarters and heels as -much as nature would allow me, and left all the toe possible. -This gave her a longer leverage to leave the ground from, -which kept her from breaking over so quick, and it reduced -her lofty knee action and created more extension. I took -off a twelve-ounce shoe from each of her front feet, and -applied a four-ounce aluminum shoe.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Fixing her hind feet and shoeing them was the most -important. I shortened the toes and lowered the inside of -each hind foot until the inside of them was as low as the -outside or a shade lower if anything. I fitted a pair of -heavy sideweight shoes, the heavy side of the shoes on the -outside of the hind feet, each hind shoe weighed about -eleven ounces with heel calks. This job stopped all the -speedy cutting and she trotted quarters in 31 seconds shortly -after, and was sold to Mr. Shults for $750.00.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_31'>31</span> - <h2 class='c005'>XXVI. GAITING COLTS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Sometimes you will find a colt that has not much knee, -hock or stifle action and not much speed, and in such cases, -to remedy the defect, after the feet have been leveled the -hind feet a shade shorter than the front, I would recommend -a heavy rolling toe shoe in front, eight, nine or ten -ounces and a little lighter one behind, two or three ounces -lighter. If the foot is large and the colt is strong, eleven -ounces in front to begin with. Now as the action increases, -decrease the weight. When the colt begins to make speed -he or she will not need a rolling toe shoe in front, a plain -shoe is better, one that will not slip back on leaving the -ground. As the colt begins to make speed the action of the -legs needs watching because sometimes they will begin to -show a faulty line of action.</p> - -<p class='c007'>If they begin to get faulty they are liable to begin -winging in or paddling out, and when shod again the feet -can be fixed to prevent this way of going at speed. The -most important thing is <i>fixing</i> their feet to prevent a faulty -line of action for if the feet are not kept level they will -begin getting rough gaited and unsteady. One important -thing in fixing feet on yearlings to be shod and worked -for speed is to keep the quarters and heels of front feet -as low as possible, it affords comfort in landing and increases -extension without carrying so much weight. Colts -that have a lot of action at both ends, hind and front, need -very light shoes all round, you can find out the proper balance -with a toe weight.</p> - -<p class='c007'>To increase extension, lower the quarters and heels and -apply toe weights instead of using so much in the shoe. -The colt should carry a natural head, not too high and not -too low, the lower the better if he is inclined to mix. If -your colt is short and choppy gaited in his hind action lower -the quarters and heels of hind feet and shoe with a heavy -toeweight plain shoe and extend the shoe out one-quarter -<span class='pageno' id='Page_32'>32</span>of an inch or more in front of toe of hind foot. When the -colt begins to make speed decrease the weight of shoe of -hind feet. Some youngsters require more weight behind -than in front to equalize action so as to work harmoniously -front and rear.</p> - -<p class='c007'>If you have a mixed-gaited colt and you want to make -a trotter out of him or her, keep plenty of foot on both hind -and front feet, especially at the toes. When fixing the feet -to be shod cut or rasp the quarters and heels of both front -and hind feet as low as possible, keep plenty of toe on -front and hind feet. Usually you will find that the front -feet have the longest angle to leave the ground from, but -by lowering the quarters and heels of hind feet to get them -as near as you can to the same angle of the front feet, the -more you will be confining the gait to a pure trot, and there -will be less danger of singlefooting or pacing.</p> - -<p class='c007'>I want my readers to distinctly understand that there -is a set of pacing feet for a pacer and a set of trotting feet -for a trotter, especially at the time when you are going to -convert a trotter to the pace or a pacer to the trot. That, -however, will be explained later in this book. If your trotting -colt becomes mixed gaited or goes into a singlefoot or -pace, the first thing to do is to lower the quarters and heels -of hind feet as much as possible, keep all the toe on him -you can and shoe with a light shoe with toe and heel calks. -The front feet should be lowered in the same manner and -add a few ounces more weight to front shoes and allow -your colt to be driven as low headed as is comfortable.</p> - -<p class='c007'>When you try this remedy for a mixed-gaited colt or -horse you will be surprised why you have not been able to -find it out years ago.</p> - -<p class='c007'>The pacing youngster with not much of any kind of -action at either end, needs to go in short toes and heavy -shoes all around and if the toes of shoes are beveled or -rolled it will be very good the first time shod. After your -pacing colt begins to make speed, shoe to prevent slipping -at both ends, with heel and toe calks on hind shoes. As a -rule they go high headed, it seems to suit the majority of -pacers.</p> -<div class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_032b.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>HORSE-SHOE STACK—ALLEN FARM, 1916.<br /><br /><span class='small'><span class='sc'>W. J. Moore</span></span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c007'><span class='pageno' id='Page_33'>33</span>If your pacer begins to cross-fire lower the inside of -hind feet but if you cannot lower the feet on the inside -raise the outside with the thickness of the shoe, thick on -outside and thin on inside. If you can lower the inside of -hind feet low enough, a plain shoe will do with calks. The -best shoe for a cross-firing pacer is a heavy sideweight -shoe, thin and rounded off on the inside toe. You do not -need any <i>projections</i> on this shoe, heel or toe, if the foot -is properly prepared to widen action. If your colt gets to -winging to his knees, lower the outside of front feet from -centre of toes to heel on <i>outside</i>. If your colt begins to paddle -with one front leg or the other, lower the inside of the -foot or feet as much as they will stand, this will leave the -outside toe the longest to leave the ground from, which, -when at speed, will prevent a lot of paddling. The lighter -the shoes on a paddler the better, but if he has to carry -some weight in his shoes to balance action, put all the -weight in the outside of his shoes. If you use a toeweight, -attach it near to the outside toe for better results. Paddling -is caused by the contraction of muscles on one side of -the leg, the same as winging in, and not always by bad -shoeing, the main thing is <i>foot fixing</i>.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Some say there is nothing under the sun perfect. Foals -developing in the womb of their dam sometimes will be in -a cramped position, which contracts those muscles or ligaments -that cause winging in or paddling out. As some of -the yearlings and weanlings show this faulty line of action -before ever being shod. I have seen yearlings that were -knee-knockers to begin with and you would think confirmed -ones and after one, two or three shoeings you could not -hear them knock their boots on the turns, and they would -<span class='pageno' id='Page_34'>34</span>later develop into fast trotters and win races or take fast -records at two and three years old.</p> - -<p class='c007'>At the Allen Farm, where I have been located for a -great many years, I have seen results obtained by foot fixing -and shoeing that satisfied me that there were secrets hidden -from most of the public in the art or science of foot fixing -and balancing faulty action, and from my experience and -the results obtained, I felt that the public was entitled to -my knowledge so gained. I have seen yearlings step eighths -of a mile from 15¾ to 17 and 18 seconds, and many of -them. I have seen a yearling step the last sixteenth of an -eighth in seven seconds, a 1:52 gait, on this half-mile -track which should go a second faster on a mile track.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Now if the foot fixing and shoeing that I have explained -in this book and have been practising for years is -not the nearest approach to the proper and correct way of -balancing the action of the trotter and pacer, why has -Bingara become the champion fourteen-year-old sire of -2:30 performers, located as he is in this cold climate and -far away from the section where are the greatest number -of producing dams? Mares by Kremlin 2:07¾, the champion -living brood mare sire of the world, have produced -wonderful results. Through these channels came Baden -2:05¼, a trotting race horse that raced on both half-mile -tracks and mile tracks and was badly handicapped in many -of his races by being scored ten, twelve, fifteen, and as -many as seventeen times before getting the word. This -scoring was not all done by one driver or one horse, but by -different drivers and different horses trying to break the -horse’s heart repeatedly, and when they could not rupture -his legs, unhinge his back, rattle his thinking box or break -his heart, Mr. Geers and Mr. Cox, the great race drivers, -said that Baden 2:05¼ was the greatest race horse ever -seen. In all my experience with the produce of Bingara -I have never seen one yet that wanted to pace if looked -<span class='pageno' id='Page_35'>35</span>after in his early education. I know him to get trotters -from pacing mares, and nothing but trotters from all kinds -of mares, his power to transmit the trotting gait to his produce -is something wonderful, and his only pacers are those -that were forced by the unsportsmanlike use of hopples.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXVII. NEGLECTED HIND FEET.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>The hind feet on both trotters and pacers are the -worst neglected when receiving their preparation in training -and racing. Is your trotter or pacer going rough gaited -with his hind legs? Is your trotter hitting his coronets, is -he speedy cutting, is he hitting his shins or hocks? Is your -pacer hitting his front shoes, or cross-firing? All this unbalanced -action comes from an unbalanced, unprepared, and -unweighted foot, most times—nearly nine out of ten—from -cutting the outside of hind foot too low from center of -toe back to outside heel leaving the inside the highest, which -will control the line of action of the leg after the foot -leaves the ground.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Lots of people do not know this and lots of horsemen -do not know this until they get into trouble and commence -experimenting with some fandangle shoes, long heels on -one side and short heels on the opposite side, or some -projection on some part of shoes that creates strain and -friction trying to overcome a badly fixed foot or feet. If -your trotter or pacer is doing any of the above stunts, the -insides of his hind foot or feet are a lot too high for the -outside. Cut the inside of hind feet down as low as they -will stand, low enough to change the angle of the feet, to -make the feet or angle longer to leave the ground from. If -his toes are the right length do not touch them.</p> - -<p class='c007'>The best shoe for your trotter in this case is a sideweight -shoe, a little heavier than he has been carrying—two -or three ounces heavier. The best shoe for the pacer -<span class='pageno' id='Page_36'>36</span>is a sideweight, same as above and it can be an ounce -heavier than above, say four ounces heavier than he had -been carrying. After your trotter or pacer becomes purer -gaited you can dispense with this extra weight. Shoe light -and as long as the foot or feet are kept level and at the -right poise and angle you will not have any trouble. I do -not recommend shoes with a long heel on one side and a -short one on an opposite side on a correctly or properly -fixed foot, or feet, for fast work or racing, because such -shoes create undue friction <i>at speed</i>. When a hind leg is -extended and foot or feet are properly fixed and balanced -on the leg, both heels of the foot should strike the ground -at the <i>same time</i>. If the heel on one side of shoe is three-quarter -of an inch longer, or half inch longer, this long heel -hits the ground first, before the opposite heel hits, which -is unnatural and disagreeable to the bones of the feet, that -work in sockets. It has the tendency to shift the bearing -of the bones in their sockets on landing and leaving the -ground, and gives extra work to the ligaments that hold the -bones in their sockets. On slow-going horses this long -outside heel does not affect them as severely as on horses -that are working fast or racing. You must remember when -horses are going at a fast pace they land on their heels as a -rule with their toes elevated away from the ground. This -is one of the main reasons why the heels of hind shoes -should be the same length on both sides at <i>speed</i> or taking -<i>fast</i> work. There are lots of horses that would have been -faster and better race horses if their hind feet and action -had been properly balanced to work harmoniously with -one another. The speed of a horse depends largely on the -propelling power of the hind quarters. The muscles of the -thigh, stifle and whirlbone need looking after in their early -preparation to keep the soreness out of them until they become -hardened. Do not work your horse on a slippery -track, wait a day or you may be sorry, if he is not eating -skip a workout, it will suit the horse.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_37'>37</span> - <h2 class='c005'>XXVIII. KNEE ACTION WITHOUT EXTENSION.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Many horses have plenty of knee action and no extension. -This horse is carrying weight enough, and foot is -prepared to make him knee up, but is unbalanced both by -the weight application and foot fixing to develop the proper -extension. The feet of a horse gaited in this manner need -the quarters and heels of front feet lowered as low as -safety will permit, do not touch the toes of front feet, -place the front feet at as long an angle to leave the ground -from as possible, reduce the weight of the front shoes and -add it to the feet in a toe weight, and pull his head down -some if you have to use a standing martingale and let him -come along gradually.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Too much knee action is lost motion and tiresome. I -found that out for myself walking through the deep snows -that we have up here in the Berkshire Hills. Too much -folding of the knees causes elbow hitting, and at times -when they do not reach their elbow some of them will hit -on the back of their arm. One of the worst speedy cutters -I ever saw was gaited in front in this manner. I decreased -the knee and folding action, changed the hind feet, which -were very high on inside, lowered them and shod with heavy -outside weight shoe and she trotted clean and pure, quarters -in 31 seconds in May. She had one sore on her as large -as a silver dollar from hitting, and when she began hitting -she would try and run away.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXIX. HORSES THAT GET AWAY SLOW, BUT FINISH FAST.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>In these cases I feel sorry for the horse also for the -driver. The horse knows he is handicapped, and the driver -does not want to take any desperate chances of getting shut -out by trying to get away with the field of starters, anyhow -<span class='pageno' id='Page_38'>38</span>I will say, the horse is unbalanced to get away, got a lot of -speed but can not find it when it is needed. This horse -needs assistance in foot balancing and weighting. The -front action on this kind of a horse needs to be increased -more for extension than anything else, increase his extension -and everything else will take care of itself.</p> - -<p class='c007'>To help this horse to get away, I would change the -angle of his front feet, make the angle longer to leave the -ground from. If the angle of his front feet is at 54 or 55 -degrees change it to 50 or 51, if it is at 52 or 53 degrees -change it to 48 or 49 degrees, add three or four ounces -more weight to his front shoes and carry the same toe -weight that he has been carrying. In fixing his front feet -do not touch or take anything off his toes, shoe to prevent -slipping, especially the hind feet. If this horse has been -carrying a light shoe in front—seven, eight or nine ounces—it -will require not less than four or five ounces more -weight to get away with his field. If this four or five -ounces balances him to get away with his field, he will not -pull you hard to hold him together. If this horse is not -inclined to mix, I would have the toes of hind feet an eighth -or quarter inch shorter than those of the front feet and at -an angle of about 54 or 55 degrees, but if he is inclined -to shift or mix into a single foot, have the hind feet as -near the same length and angle as the front feet as possible, -the nearer the better. If it takes two or three ounces more -weight to balance faulty action, use it, put it on his feet, if -you don’t you will wear him out pulling on him, you will -make him muscle-sore propelling against your strong arms, -pulling 100 or 150 pounds on the bit. It creates a terrible -strain going the last quarter of a fast mile, especially on -youngsters, and some trainers wonder why some of their -pupils don’t go on and develop speed, and wonder why -some of them become so tired after passing the three-quarter -pole. No matter how royally bred they are, they -<span class='pageno' id='Page_39'>39</span>need to be properly balanced to go the distance on as light -a pull on the bit as possible. If you depend on balancing -them by holding them together by pulling against their jaws -you are a back number for a youngster or aged horse is not -doing his work in comfort and with ease going against a -heavy pull on the bit. There is nothing that will wear out -a yearling, two-year-old or three-year-old quicker than hard -pulling against the bit, for it over-taxes the muscles of the -propelling power caused by being unbalanced. Their propelling -muscles will stand it for a while, but not for long. -If you can get your colt or horse properly balanced he -will not pull you, he would rather go at speed in comfort -and ease to himself than to get unhinged in the -back propelling against a heavy pull on the lines. The -trainers that can detect or locate faulty action and know -what to do to remedy the same are the ones that make -a success of developing, conditioning and driving in races. -It takes judgment, a good eye and ear to detect faulty -action. It takes an expert to detect a badly fixed foot -that was intended to help the line of action.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXX. TO CONVERT A PACER TO TROT.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Begin by fixing his feet, cut or rasp the quarters and -heels of all four feet down as low as possible without getting -any sole pressure against the shoes that are fitted. -Have the length of toes as near alike as the case will permit, -I mean by not taking anything off the toes of front feet or -hind feet, supposing the toes are near alike, he will need all -the toe possible to convert him to the trot from the pace. -Shoe front feet with a heavy toe weight shoe, it may take -fifteen or seventeen ounces. If you have to use any toe -weight while going slow it is best to weld spur on toe of -shoe and use a toe weight fitted to the spur. It is best in -this case, in order to convert the pacer to trot, to have a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_40'>40</span>grab on the front shoes. Shoe the hind feet with a light -shoe with toe and heel calk, drive him as low headed as -possible even if you have to use a standing martingale, -bring him along slow, by degrees, for as it effects a change -of muscles it is something new to the horse and the more -time you take in bringing along trotting, the more you will -be perfecting the gait. Don’t hurry matters. After a few -weeks he will have more growth of foot and can lower his -quarters and heels a little more giving his feet a longer -angle to leave the ground from. In converting a pacer to -trot, a four-inch toe is not too long on some horses, but on -yearlings and two-year-olds their feet will be shorter, but -the closer you get the angle of front and hind feet to 50 -or 51 degrees with same length of toes hind and front, the -better, to confine him to the trot, and keep him trotting. In -some cases the angle needs to be 48 or 49 degrees in front, -and as near to that as you can get the hind feet.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXXI. CONVERTING A TROTTER TO THE PACE.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Shorten and lower the toes of all four feet, do not -touch the quarters or heels of front or hind feet. The -weight of the shoes will vary on different horses. On a -youngster I would put a five or six-ounce concaved shoe in -front, and about nine or ten ounces behind, with toe and -heel calk. On an older horse the weight at both front and -hind can be correspondingly heavier, about eight ounces -front and eleven or twelve ounces, with heel and toe calks -behind. Now when hitched ready to go for the first lesson, -check the head as high as the horse or colt can carry it -without causing pain and misery to the neck. If he paces -any, a half mile up to a mile and a half is enough for the -first three or four lessons. If he acts good do not let him -go too fast for the first week or ten days, you must take -two or three weeks before asking him to step. The angle -<span class='pageno' id='Page_41'>41</span>of the front feet should be about 55 degrees and the angle -of the hind feet should be about 59 degrees.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Some horses that go into a singlefoot or strike a pace -occasionally can be easily converted to the pace by shoeing -light in front and heavier behind, from three to five ounces -more weight in each hind shoe than he is carrying in his -front shoes. If he does not take to the pace readily add -more weight to hind shoes, and bevel or roll the toes of -shoes, and check head higher. You need a short natural -foot all around to convert to the pace. The angle of the -feet will vary according to their pasterns. If the horse has -a long oblique pastern, shorten the toes hind and front as -much as they will allow to be safe, and do not touch the -heels.</p> - -<p class='c007'>I used this method of converting Joe Patchen II from -the trot to the pace, and many others. They could not -make him strike a pace and after fixing his feet and shoeing -him he went out on the track and paced an eighth of a mile -in eighteen seconds after having been driven at the trot -for over a year.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXXII. CONTRACTED HEELS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>To expand a contracted foot or quarter the first thing -to do is to get the foot soft by poulticing or stuffing with -“Whiterock” for a couple of nights. Use hoof expanders -that are stronger than the hoof, some feet are so strong and -stiff at the quarters that the foot has to be weakened between -the bars and frog so that the expanders will expand -it. If you want the inside quarter expanded leave the last -two heel nails out of the inside of shoe, put a toe clip on -shoe and a clip back at the outside heel and do just the -reverse to expand an outside quarter. In this way you -will be getting all the expansion on the contracted quarter. -If this shoe is fitted so that the expander can be placed in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_42'>42</span>the foot after the shoe has been nailed on, the contracted -quarter will be expanded over a quarter of an inch before -the shoe is clinched up. Nails should not be used back -towards the heels of a contracted foot that is to be expanded. -When the foot expands wider than the shoe, reset -shoes and renew the position of expander to act stronger. -The softer you keep the feet the faster they will spread, do -not let them get dry and hard. The expansion you get in -the foot of a yearling or a two or three-year-old can be -kept after the expander has been discarded by not allowing -the heels to be kept too high for too long a time. But in -aged horses that have had contracted feet or quarters for -years and have become set, you can expand the feet or -quarters, and when you stop using the expanders the heels -and quarters will contract right back to where they were -before, in the majority of cases. In cases of this kind in -aged horses after the feet have been expanded the quarters -should be cut down low and the coronets blistered on both -inside and outside quarters.</p> - -<p class='c007'>There are lots of horses with contracted heels and the -heels become so high from the coronet to the shoe bearing -surface and have stayed this way for such a length of time -that they cannot be cut down without hurting or injuring -the horse, until after the feet have been expanded. The -sensitive part of the foot gets a long ways down from the -coronet in a contracted foot, and to cut or lower the quarters -and heels to place the foot at a proper angle, it cannot -be done until the foot is expanded. The more you expand -the foot the lower you can cut or rasp down the heels. The -more you expand the heels the higher up you are driving -the sensitive interior of the foot at the quarters. In many -aged horses after the feet are expanded it will be well to -continue the use of expanders, to prevent contraction, for -a period of six or twelve months.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_43'>43</span> - <h2 class='c005'>XXXIII. CAUSE OF CONTRACTED HEELS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>A disease called Thrush, located in and about the frog -is sure to contract the heels of a foot, if not cured quickly. -A foot troubled with thrush should be cured when first discovered, -if not the frog keeps perishing away until there -is not enough of it there to hold or keep the heels from -contracting. Another cause is allowing feet to grow too -high at the heels and letting them remain too high for too -long a time. When the heels get too high the frog is too -far away from the ground to get any expansion, or to prevent -contraction. The closer the frog is kept to the ground -on a horse running in pasture or shod and working, all the -better. Stock running in pasture, young or old, should have -their feet rasped down regularly every five or six weeks -at the longest. Some may need it oftener than that. This -fixing of feet on stock running out, assists expansion and -prevents contraction. If the feet are allowed to grow too -long on stock running in pasture the position the animal -has to stand in while grazing, with one leg out in front of -the other will contract or curl the inside quarter of each -front foot, and wing out the outside quarter. Shoes staying -on too long, and horses kept on dry, hard floors where -they do not get any moisture, will cause contraction. The -feet of horses kept on dry hard floors should be stuffed at -least every other night with clay, or whiterock, or something -of a moistening nature. Contraction is the main -cause of both quartercracks and corns. To cure Thrush, -cleanse the frog thoroughly, then a few applications of dry -powdered calomel to the frog will dry the disease up and -leave the frog healthy.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXXIV. CORNS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>A live, painful corn is caused by different things. -High contracted heels will cause corns as well as short ones. -Shoeing and leaving the shoes on too long, and undue concussion -<span class='pageno' id='Page_44'>44</span>will cause corns. The majority of cases of corns -will be found in contracted feet. I find the most successful -way to treat corns is to get the foot or feet soft and -keep them soft. Shoe with a bar shoe, lower the heels so -as you can get all the frog pressure possible on the bar of -the shoe, after the shoe has been fitted, and before nailing -to the foot, cut the heel bearing away from the shoe where -the corn is located, an inch of the bearing surface ahead -of the corn and half an inch or more away from the shoe -to break the jar and reduce the concussion. If foot is contracted -use an expander inserted in foot before shoe is -fitted, and keep foot soft. I do not recommend cutting the -bars and sole away where the corn is located and leaving -the wall standing up all alone, but cut the whole heel -seat of corn and bar down <i>flat</i>, away from the bearing -surface of shoe.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXXV. TOE CRACK OR SPLIT FOOT.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>A foot with a toe crack should be kept as short as -possible at the toe. Apply a stiff hoof expander, use one -or two rivets or clamps as high up and as near the coronet -as possible after cutting the horn where one side laps over -the other the full length of the crack. After inserting the -hoof expander fit a bar shoe to the foot with a clip at each -side of the toe, and before nailing shoe to foot cut the bearing -of foot away from the shoe across the toe. If the foot -is not contracted any I would recommend a clip back at -each heel. Treat the same as is prescribed for Quartercrack, -after cutting away half inch each side of crack at the -coronet. If foot is contracted do not use any clips back at -the heels and keep the foot soft.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXXVI. QUARTERCRACK.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>A quartercrack is a split or crack in a quarter from the -coronet down towards the bottom of a foot. At times it is -<span class='pageno' id='Page_45'>45</span>very painful and prevents the use of the horse. In most -of these quartercracks one side is lapped over on the other -one-quarter or three-eighths of an inch, and from the continual -expansion and contraction of the foot while the horse -is in action the lapped parts are continually working against -one another as the foot expands with the weight of horse -on it, and contracts when the foot is lifted up. This kind -of action of the split horn at the coronet is what prevents -it from knitting. The first thing to do is to apply a few -poultices which will get the foot soft. If the foot or quarter -is contracted apply a hoof expander. In fixing the foot -rasp the foot as low as possible without making it tender, -at both heels and toes. Do not cut any sole or bars out or -cut the heels open with the knife, have the side of foot where -the crack is on the lowest or you can have that part of the -shoe quite thin, so that the jar or concussion will be on all -parts of foot, except the quartercrack. Use a bar shoe -with plenty of frog pressure, a plain shoe is best. If you -have to have calks, place the heel calk on cracked side -ahead of crack on shoe if possible. If the crack is close to -the heel, take the bearing of foot away from the shoe by -cutting the heel down. Now cut the horn away on the side -that is lapped over the other the full length of the quartercrack, -cut the horn away one-quarter of an inch each side -of the crack at the coronet, if it bleeds a little it will not -hurt. Now a blister at the coronet above and on each side -of the crack will be beneficial to start the growth down -solid, if it should crack open again apply a stronger one. -After the crack starts to grow down solid, apply a little of -the blistering ointment every week or ten days but do not -let it blister, just use enough to keep it sweating, it will -toughen and soften the horn as it grows down. A rivet or -clamp drawing the edges of crack together as near the -coronet as possible, to hold it together and strengthen it will -be very beneficial. A salve or ointment formally made by -<span class='pageno' id='Page_46'>46</span>the late Geo. W. St. Clair, and now by Mike Bowerman, of -Lexington, Ky., is the best thing I have seen to help knit -and grow down a quartercrack. A little North Carolina tar -rubbed into coronet over crack every other day I find is -excellent.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXXVII. DISHED OR SCOOPED TOE.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>This is caused by allowing feet to grow too long, especially -on colts and horses in training, creating undue pressure -and strain on the front of foot on breaking over to -leave the ground. It is also caused by being foundered, -where the soles of feet have dropped, and also where the -fever has settled in the feet, and the soles have not dropped, -but are inclined to be contracted, dry and hard, and kept at -the wrong angle, and feet not kept properly fixed and shoes -not properly fitted. The remedy for this is to fix the foot -at the proper angle, keep the frog close to the ground. -Pare the sole a little thin around the toe from the point of -frog out to the wall at the toe, and after the shoe has been -fitted, cut the bearing of the foot at the toe away from the -shoe. A few shoeings of this kind will prevent the toe from -turning up.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XXXVIII. CONCUSSION.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Horses with high knee action hit the ground the hardest. -The more weight a horse carries in his shoes or toe -weights, the more concussion he receives. The concussion -on the hind feet and legs does not seem to pain or sting -anything like what he has to endure in the front feet and -legs when striking the ground fast and hard, especially -when he is going over a hard piece of ground. If his front -feet are out of proportion, high heels and long toes, dry and -hard, he will feel the concussion severely and this will make -many horses unsteady, breaking and acting bad. A horse -<span class='pageno' id='Page_47'>47</span>with lofty forward action should be trained in a natural -low quarter and low heeled foot, with a bar shoe as light as -possible, with frog pressure.</p> - -<p class='c007'>The most dangerous and uncomfortable kind of a foot -for a horse that hits the ground hard to have is one with the -heels abnormally high. The higher the heels the greater the -concussion. The lower the heels the less the concussion. -The more weight the more concussion. The less weight the -less concussion. A foot that is kept at the proper angle, as -near to a natural foot as possible, and kept soft, will prevent -the stinging and painful sensation that is caused by -concussion. With feet kept like this the horse will not -flinch or shorten up in his stride when he strikes hard places -in the track. The light thin heel calks that are used on -shoes do not break much of the concussion when horses are -going fast. Why? because when the legs are extended at -speed the shoes land on the ground back on the heel, with -the toe of the foot elevated away from the ground, and -with some horses more than with others. They do not -strike the ground flat-footed like the most of them do when -going slow. Thin hard pads are very good under light -shoes, but thick pads that will allow the walls of a horse’s -foot at heels to sink or cut through them at the heels are -no good. They will create a hard lump at the seat of corns -between the bar and wall at the heels, and hold dirt that is -liable to create unpleasant feelings to a sensitive horse that -goes in middling low heels. When heels of the front feet -are allowed to become too high on horses taking fast work -or racing, a very severe strain is thrown on the ligament or -tendon that holds the navicular bone in its socket. When -the leg is extended at speed the extra high heels cause the -foot to land too far ahead of the leg while the toe is elevated -on landing, so that it creates an extra amount of work -for the ligament to hold it in its proper position at the -time of impact with the ground.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_48'>48</span> - <h2 class='c005'>XXXIX. FOUNDER, CHRONIC LAMINITIS OR DROPPED SOLE.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>There is only one way to shoe this kind for comfort to -the animal, and for an earning remuneration for the owner. -In founder or chronic laminitis, where the sole of feet are -dropped, caused by the displacement of the weight-bearing -bones of the foot, fix the feet by lowering the quarters -and heels so as to get as much frog pressure as is possible, -without making the foot tender, and your foot is ready -for the shoe. A shoe for a dropped sole foot must be a -bar shoe, thick at the toe and thin at the heels, with a wide -thin bar to receive the frog pressure. To make a shoe to -suit this kind of diseased feet, use a piece of iron three-quarters -to one inch square according to the nature of the -disease and the weight of the horse, and in making the -shoes for foot founder leave all the thickness of the shoe at -the toe possible, and thin the shoe at the quarters and heels -to a quarter of an inch, have the bar wide and thin so as to -receive all the frog pressure possible, the thicker the toe of -shoe and thinner the quarters and bar at heels the better. -Concave or cup the shoe out so as not to get any sole pressure.</p> - -<p class='c007'>I will cite one case of this kind, the very worst in my -experience. A horse that weighed over 1400 pounds that -could scarcely stand on his feet, had been treated by different -veterinary surgeons and shod several times and could -not keep the shoes on his feet and he was so sore that I -got wet with perspiration getting two nails in one shoe and -I had to stand him in a very soft place to do that. This -horse would lay down in the lot most all the time and eat -the grass from where he could reach it and then move to -where he could reach more, he was the most hopeless subject -I ever came across. I shod him according to the instruction -herein prescribed, and he trotted off with his tail -curled over his back like a colt. He was put to work the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_49'>49</span>next morning and continued at work until sold for two -hundred dollars. Elevating the heels with calks creates -pain and misery to the animal.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XL. CROSS-FIRING PACERS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>When a pacer begins to cross-fire every one knows he is -not balanced. There are different causes for cross-firing: -front feet not properly fixed and at the proper angle, not -carrying the proper amount of weight in front will help to -cause it, and on hind feet the same. Too much slipping will -help to create it. But the most important thing that causes -cross-firing, nine times out of ten, is because the hind feet -are a lot higher on the inside than they are on the outside, -which creates a leverage to leave the ground from when at -speed, which extra height or length of foot acts as a leverage -to control the line of action of the leg after the foot -leaves the ground. In all my experience with cross-firers I -have found this the most important factor, namely, the inside -of the offending feet to be the highest. So the fixing -of the feet is the most important part of the contract. If -you can get the feet properly fixed to change the leverage, -to control the line of action, there will be no more cross-firing. -(This same rule applies to a trotter that is unbalanced -if the insides of his hind feet are the highest and -when he strikes a singlefoot or pace he is very likely to -cross-fire). The pacer that begins to cross-fire needs the -insides of the hind feet lowered, a little longer angle to -leave the ground from, with the height or extra length of -foot to create a leverage on leaving the ground to be at the -outside toe. A foot properly fixed as herein prescribed and -a properly made and fitted shoe will stop cross-firing. I -would recommend a sideweight shoe, the weight to be applied -to the outside of feet, the inside to be beveled or -rounded from center of toe back to the inside quarter of -each hind shoe. The shoes could be a few ounces heavier -<span class='pageno' id='Page_50'>50</span>than previous shoes for best results. As a rule pacers go -best and fastest in shorter feet than the trotters. The -easier a pacer can leave the ground the more rapid gaited -he will be, and the more he will be inclined to stick to -the pace. By all means shoe to prevent slipping both in -front and behind. A proper angle for the front feet has -to be found, also for the hind feet, so that the speed at -both ends will be in harmony, if one end is faster than -the other there will be friction.</p> - -<p class='c007'>There will be found in this work directions as to how -to lengthen or shorten the stride, to increase or decrease -knee or hock action, to widen hind action, also the best way -to prevent winging in and paddling out, at speed. Also how -to quicken the action of dwelling gaited ones. As to the -proper amount of weight that the horse goes the fastest -with in his shoes, the trainer should know better than any -one else, but all trainers are not the best judges of gait, an -expert on the ground taking a view from in front, from -behind, and a side view, has a big advantage over the driver. -An expert trainer and race driver knows when his pupil -can step a mile, half or three-quarters at a 2:10 or 2:05 or -a 2:00 gait on a light line, that his horse is all right, if there -is any friction he can see it or feel it on the lines.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XLI. NOTE OF IMPORTANCE.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Now right here is the most important part of a little -transaction that should not be omitted from any trainer’s -records. The condition your horse has worked up to and -how he has been cared for, his weight, whether he wears -calks or not, what is the angle of his feet and length of -toes front and hind, what is the weight of his front shoes -also his hind shoes, also about his harness, the exact length -of back strap and check rein, and what hole the buckle belongs -in the check rein should be carefully noted. If you -<span class='pageno' id='Page_51'>51</span>keep a record of these things no one can tell you what your -horse needs, for you will know it yourself far better. If a -change takes place and it is not physical, it may have occurred -in the shop if he has been shod recently, and as you -have kept a record of his feet and shoes and harness you -can find out by reference to it.</p> - -<p class='c007'>The last time I was in Lexington, Ky. I was working -at my trade, shoeing horses, when I was approached by a -gentleman by the name of Saunders, he said to me that he -was told by some of his friends to see me about shoeing a -cross-firing pacer that he had and he also said that I was -recommended to him very highly. I told him I could tell -him what I could do for the horse after seeing the condition -of the feet, if I could help him or not, so he had the -horse led around to my tent to be looked at. After looking -at the feet and shoeing, I told him I could help that horse -wonderfully, so the next day my subject was led around -for me to operate on. I had learned that this horse cross-fired -so bad they could hardly keep quarter-boots on him, -and they were afraid to work him on account of cross-firing. -He was entered to start at the meeting but was a little -short of work. His feet were in bad shape according to the -calipers and foot adjuster and to my eye. I fixed this -horse’s feet to pace without cross-firing and truly, according -to the prescription given in this book for cross-firing. -That horse responded to the treatment instantly and the -horse paced fine with no more cross-firing. He was worked -a couple of times during the week and went all right, and -during the meeting he was going so good they agreed to -start him. He started in the race and if my memory serves -me right he finished second the first heat, the second heat -several horses finished ahead of him, I do not remember -how many, but when they came out for the third heat the -driver of this horse was called up in the stand to watch this -horse while a driver by the name of Mike Bowerman piloted -<span class='pageno' id='Page_52'>52</span>him to victory in three straight heats and he took a record -close to 2:10. I believe the horse’s name was Sable Gift, -or some other gift. The only gift the horse got was a -record, something he did not want, neither did those that -were buying first, second and third choices.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XLII. KEEP THE FEET LEVEL.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>The front foot should never be the highest on the -outside of a trotter or pacer, unless the horse paddles with -one or both front legs. A foot that is left high on the outside -and low on the inside will help to prevent paddling and -will increase the winging in to the knees. A foot that is -kept high on the inside and low on the outside will help to -prevent winging in to the knees. There are lots of paddlers -who do not begin to paddle until the foot has left the -ground quite some distance, and to prove this I have seen -the shoes worn by some paddlers and the most of the wear -on the shoes of the paddling leg or legs was at the outside -toe of shoe. A paddler that leaves the ground from the -inside toe of shoe can be made to carry the leg straighter -in a line at speed easier than one that leaves the ground -from the outside toe.</p> - -<p class='c007'>The reason why a front foot should not be left highest -on the outside, of a trotter or pacer, unless he is a paddler, -is this; supposing the front legs at the chest or where the -upper arm joint is connected with the chest is ten, twelve -or fifteen inches apart, I mean the distance the two front -legs are from one another where connected with the body. -Now when this horse is at speed and can go fast at the trot -or pace, like most all fast horses at speed, his foot prints -will be straight in a line one after the other on the track. -Now if their upper arms are ten or twelve inches apart, -more or less, and at speed their feet land nearly on a line, -the front legs are not working forward and backward in a -straight up and down line from the body, so this being the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_53'>53</span>case just try to imagine just how those two front feet land -on the ground with the legs wide apart at the upper arms -and the feet landing straight in a line or nearly so at speed. -The question is, should the outside of front foot be lower -than the inside, if so, how much, to distribute and equalize -the concussion on both sides of a front foot at the heels -<i>when at speed</i>. What I am trying to explain is, if you have -a fast trotter or pacer and he does not paddle, and you are -working to develop speed intending to race, and if the outside -of the front feet are the highest and the inside of the -hind feet are the highest, every time you work this horse -with unbalanced feet you are guilty of one of the greatest -crimes that are committed by trainers and horse-shoers.</p> - -<p class='c007'>In fixing the front feet on all fast horses, trotters or -pacers, that do not paddle, first rasp the outside of a front -foot down to where you want it, toe and heel, then you can -rasp the inside of the foot down to where it will suit the -action of the leg the best. The reason for this is you can -always lower the inside of a front foot a lot lower than you -can the outside of same foot and when you rasp the inside -of a front foot down <i>first</i>, nine times out of ten you will not -be able to rasp the outside of the same foot down to a level -with the inside. Now the hind foot is just to the reverse. -Always rasp to lower the inside of a hind foot down first to -where you want it and then take the outside down to a level -with it. If you do not fix feet by this rule, the sensitive -portion of the foot will often prevent you from lowering it -enough to level up matters with opposite side, and the sensitive -parts of the foot that will prevent you from doing this -will be the outside of a front foot and the inside of a hind -foot. This is the main reason why so many floormen in -shops all over the country cut the inside of front feet too -low for the outside, and leave the inside of the hind feet -too high for the outside of same. But if you will fix feet -by this rule you will be right the most of the time.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_54'>54</span> - <h2 class='c005'>XLIII. PULLING ON ONE LINE AT SPEED.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>I was approached on this subject and had it explained -to me that a certain horse going the right way of the track -at speed would go on one line and keep going into the fence -or hugging the pole, and would make two or three breaks -going the length of the stretch on a half-mile track, and -could not be kept away from the fence. After an examination -of the teeth, cheeks, and tongue, and bit, and finding -these to be all O. K., I concluded that it must be from -uneven extension of the legs. The extension and propelling -power of the off legs was greater than that of the nigh -ones. A three-ounce toe weight on the feet of the nigh -legs straightened or balanced up the lost action of the nigh -side so that the horse would speed the length of the stretch -in any position on the track without pulling on one line and -so the necessity for pulling on one line to keep the horse -straight was stopped.</p> - -<p class='c007'>The feet on this animal were well fixed hind and front, as -to length of toes and angle of feet, the hind shoes weighed -alike and the front ones also. The muscular development -of the extension power of the off legs was stronger than -that of the nigh legs, perhaps also the propelling power of -the off hind leg. This is the reason the horse was pulling -on one line. The off legs were reaching farther than the -nigh ones, which kept forcing the horse to go towards the -fence. Unbalanced feet will cause this as well as undeveloped -muscles. I have no doubt but there are lots of horses -going on one line and hugging the pole that need a change -in the angle of the feet, or the proper weight at the proper -place to balance up matters. If the strides of this horse -had been measured there would have been found a big difference -between the off and nigh strides, so you see it is -not always the teeth, cheeks, or bit that cause this trouble. -The horse in question later stepped miles in 2:09.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_55'>55</span> - <h2 class='c005'>XLIV. A GOOD JUDGE OF GAIT.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>In all my experience with horsemen and horses I believe -William Russell Allen’s judgment about gait and prospective -or ultimate speed is superior to that of any one I -have ever come in contact with. He seems to have the -faculty of knowing at a glance the frictionless gait from a -fairly good gaited one. To prove this I will cite a few -instances. On one occasion he was away on a visit and on -his return he said to me that he saw Uhlan 1:58 as a -two-year-old or a three-year-old, I do not remember exactly, -but it was before he came into prominence, and Mr. Allen -told me he was the best gaited colt he ever saw. This colt -must have been just as he said, for it could not have been -over a year, or two at the outside, when this same colt -trotted to a world’s record, and it did not surprise me much -after remembering what Mr. Allen told me about his gait. -The same thing happened again when he saw Peter Volo -2:02, early in his two-year-old form. Also the full sister -to Peter Volo, Volga, Mr. Allen told me she was gaited -to win all her engagements.</p> - -<p class='c007'>Here at Allen Farm he picked a yearling out of about -thirty early in the season, that was out of a non-producing -dam, to beat all the yearlings an eighth of a mile at the trot -that season at the farm on a small bet. It was big odds -and was taken very quickly by one of the employees, who -was wishing he could get more of that kind of bets. When -the brush work of the season was over the field ticket was -never presented to the pool seller to be cashed. Mr. Allen’s -first choice out of a large field won by a quarter of a second -and we had a lot of fast ones, but any how he had the -laugh on me at the finish.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XLV. BAR SHOES.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>If you have a horse with toe cracks, quarter cracks or -one that is sore or lame from corns, a bar shoe is the best -<span class='pageno' id='Page_56'>56</span>kind of a shoe. If you have a horse with a dropped sole, -or founder footed horse the bar shoe is the best kind for -such feet. It is also a good shoe to be used on feet where -expanders are used as the bar in the shoe will protect the -expander at times when an open shoe will not, and frog -pressure on the bar will also help to get expansion. The -most important thing to guard against is, do not drive any -nails back of the quarters because that will prevent expansion. -Draft horses with wide low heels or thin soles -require bar shoes for the hard roads, as they stay sound -longer wearing bar shoes than in open shoes. For racing -purposes the bar shoe is very important for the front feet, -and occasionally for the hind feet, for both trotter and -pacer. Any horse racing or in training that carries a light, -or very light front shoe should by all means wear a bar -shoe, it is a great support to the foot when hitting the -ground hard and fast, as the natural expansion and contraction -is at its limit while going at a fast rate of speed.</p> - -<p class='c007'>For a heel weight shoe you can get more weight in the -heels of a bar shoe than in an open shoe, which heel weight -the action of some horses requires more so than they do -toe weight. A trotter or pacer that spreads his hind shoes -or front shoes, should by all means wear bar shoes. The -last time I shod John R. Gentry for Mr. James Ramey, I -shod him with bar shoes all around with heel and toe -calks for that memorable race at Detroit in the 2:13 or -2:14 class, he won his race easily breaking the track record, -under strong restraint. He could have paced a very fast -mile or two that day if he had been asked to do it, he was -sold after this performance.</p> - -<p class='c007'>I have never seen many yearlings or two-year-olds that -needed a bar shoe while in training. It is a very bad shoe -for either yearling or two-year-old unless a hoof expander -is kept in the foot to prevent contraction and help expansion, -for the feet will surely get contracted without something -<span class='pageno' id='Page_57'>57</span>to prevent it, after the heels grow high enough to -lose their frog pressure. I used a pair of heavy heel weight -bar shoes, about ten or eleven ounce, on one yearling’s hind -feet to stop forging and scalping while he was being jogged -every day. The shoes he was brushed or speeded in for -about ten days did not suit him for jogging. This yearling -trotted eighths in 17¼ seconds, a 2:18 gait. I tried more -weight in front but it did no good.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XLVI. SLIPPING OR SLIDING TOO MUCH.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Slipping will unbalance a horse when trying to get on -his stride at speed; slipping too much on landing or on -leaving the ground creates lost action that cannot be overcome -by muscular development. I will cite a couple of -cases here to prove this. A horse that trotted in his work -miles in 2:27 over a half-mile track, when shipped to Rigley, -Portland, Me., could not trot a mile there in 2:45 without -being very unsteady, and this over a mile track. I examined -his foot prints and saw he was slipping too much. I -calked his shoes with toe and heel calks, never changed his -feet, and this horse trotted miles in 2:25 without a break.</p> - -<p class='c007'>A mare that was trotting miles in her work over this -same half-mile track in 2:25 easily, quarters in 33 or 33½ -seconds, was shipped to Portland, Me., to a mile track and -could not trot a mile there in 2:40 without mixing and acting -very unsteady. On examining her foot prints I found -she was slipping too much. I was sure her feet were -fixed properly. As she became very unsteady and inclined -to mix, I added two ounces more to her front shoes and -gave her a heel and toe calk on hind and front shoes and -she became very steady the next workout, and the driver -told me she could trot a mile in 2:16 or better.</p> - -<p class='c007'>After the drivers of those two horses found they would -get all unbalanced trying to get on their stride, they did not -<span class='pageno' id='Page_58'>58</span>go to work with the lines and whip endeavoring to balance -up matters, and cruelly abuse the dumb animals for what -they were not responsible, but asked me to take a look at -them. This thing of balancing faulty action with the lines -and whip is a thing of the past, and he who thinks it can -be done has stopped, he may be one of the know-alls and -if so is past redemption and will have to be regenerated to -be successful at the profession.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XLVII. SIDEWEIGHT SHOES.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>Sideweight shoes are used with good results on horses -that wing in to their knees or knee hitters. Apply the -weighty side of shoe on the inside of foot, fix the outside of -the foot from the center of toe to the outside heel the -lowest, it will be good in some cases to have the outside -web of shoe only one-half as thick as that of the inside, -the thinner the outside the better for the winging in. For -paddling out the sideweight shoe is used with the weight -on the outside of the foot, be sure and fix the foot by -lowering the inside of foot from center of toe back to the -inside heel, have the inside of foot lower than the outside -for a paddler, and have the outside of foot lower than the -inside for a <i>front shin</i>, knee and arm hitter. A hind foot -has to be fixed the lowest on the inside for speedy cutting, -shin and hock hitting. A sideweight shoe is used a lot for -speedy cutting, shin and hock hitting, but if the feet can -be properly leveled low enough on the insides, many horses -will go clean, or good gaited without the sideweight shoe, -as it is the extra high inside of hind feet that causes the -closing up of the hind action that makes all the trouble.</p> - -<p class='c007'>In many cases to help matters as to speedy cutting, -shin and hock hitting the front action has to be examined. -The horse may have too much or not enough front action -to work in harmony with the hind action. If he is going -<span class='pageno' id='Page_59'>59</span>too high or lofty I would reduce the lost lofty action and -increase the extension. If he is going too low I would -increase his front action by shortening his toes and adding -several ounces more weight, sometimes it will require from -four to six ounces more weight. To reduce the high or -lofty front action and create more extension lower the -quarters and heels of front feet, shoe with an extra light -bar shoe and have the foot at an angle of from 48 to 50 -degrees. In making this change you will get immediate -results, and if necessary you can also experiment with a -toe weight to balance up matters more satisfactorily.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XLVIII. TOE WEIGHT SHOES.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>A toeweight shoe is used with good results on front -feet to increase the fold of the knee, more height and -reach. This shoe can be used with a square, round, beveled -or sharp toe, or with a grab toe calk as the case calls for. -If your horse is inclined to mix and needs weight to go -good gaited, the sharp toe or one with a grab on it is best. -To shorten the stride, shorten the toes of feet and square -or bevel the toes of the shoe but do not lower the heel any. -By increasing the weight of this shoe and raising the heels -you can increase the height of the front action to your -liking. To lengthen the stride in using this shoe, lower -quarters and heels of the front feet to an angle of 48 to 50 -degrees and use the plain toeweight shoe or one with a -grab on it. This toeweight shoe is the best to use on a -trotter that is hitching, hopping or running behind, and -when carrying one hind leg between the front ones. Bevel -this shoe from a little to the outside center of toe around -the inside to the quarter or near the heel with a small heel -calk. This shoe must be from one to two ounces more than -twice the weight of the shoe carried on the perfect gaited -leg. If the good gaited leg is carrying a six-ounce shoe -this faulty gaited leg or foot will have to carry 13 ounces, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_60'>60</span>not less, to change the line of action, 14 ounces will be -better than 12 ounces, but the hind foot will have to be -the lowest on the inside, if anything, as it was a high -inside of foot that first started the trouble. A horse that is -hitching should not be speeded until the action or gait of -the faulty leg has been balanced, for it is so easily done. -A driver who will try and drive the hitching out of a horse -with the lines and whip is just as much unbalanced as is -the dumb animal.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>XLIX. POCKET WEIGHTS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>A pocket weight can be used jogging a knee knocker or -paddler in the fall, winter and spring, to develop the muscle -required and to prevent those faulty lines of action, and you -can use from five to ten ounces, as the case may need to the -foot of the faulty gaited leg. But be sure and shoe the -foot or feet <i>very light</i>, and prepare the feet according to -the chapter in this book on winging in or paddling out. If -the feet are not properly prepared to help the pocket weight -to control the faulty line of action, one will be working -against the other, and the results will be unsatisfactory, -but if properly performed as to foot fixing and weighting, -and a little time to bring about the change results will be -good. The hole in foot to receive the spur of the pocket -weight should be about half way between toe and heel to -get best results. The pocket weight should be used on -inside of foot for winging in and on outside of foot for a -paddler.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <h2 class='c005'>L. ANKLE HITTING OR INTERFERING.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>There are so many different causes for this that there -is no fixed rule in shoeing that will apply to all cases. I -have seen horses cutting their hind ankles from the following -causes: the foot or feet too high on the inside, the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_61'>61</span>foot or feet too high on the outside, the foot or feet too long -at the toe, and too low at the heels, all out of proportion -as to the correct angle. Horses that are weak, low in flesh, -and worked beyond their physical capacity, when not able -to perform their daily task without getting leg weary, conformation -of some horses makes them brush, box, or cut -their hind ankles.</p> - -<p class='c007'>The conformation that makes a very bad ankle hitter is -one where the horse stands wedge shaped from his hips -down to where his feet rest on the ground. This kind of a -horse will stand with his hind feet close together or against -one another when at rest, horses of this conformation and -without much hock action are the very worst in this respect. -The same treatment will not apply to all cases of ankle -hitting. Unbalanced feet are the main cause for all ankle -hitting, when not caused by some deformity. A farrier -with a good eye and good judgment, on examination of the -hind feet, will find out the main cause of the trouble. Keep -the toes of all ankle hitters as short as possible for the -shorter the leverage to break over and leave the ground -from, the straighter the line of action of the leg will be; a -middling high heel, and a very short toe is the best. If the -foot or feet are too high on the inside, lower the insides to -a level with the outside, and shoe with a heel calk, hot rasp -the inside of shoes to a bevel. If you find the foot or feet -too high on the outside lower the outside to a level with -the inside, if either foot is winged out, wider on one side -of the leg than the other, edge the foot up until you have -an equal portion of the foot on both sides of the frog -measuring from the center of the frog. This rule applies to -all feet in foot fixing. Shoe the same as above stated.</p> - -<p class='c007'>I have seen horses cutting their ankles very bad on -account of their heels being too low, and their toes too long. -I have stopped this kind of ankle cutting by raising their -heels with a side heelcalk seven-eighths of an inch high -<span class='pageno' id='Page_62'>62</span>and no toe calk. An ankle cutter, on account of the inside -of feet being too low, and where I could not cut the outside -of foot low enough to compare with the inside, I have got -good results by welding a calk along the inside of the hind -shoe or shoes between the first and third inside nails to -make up the deficiency. A horse that boxes his ankles -jogging sluggishly will go good in short toes, with a square -toe shoe and heel calks.</p> - -<p class='c007'>A horse that cuts his ankles should not be checked too -high but should go in a natural manner without being made -to carry his head too high. The hold-back straps should -never be too tight for this hugs their quarters together and -that creates interfering. A horse that is a hard puller on -the lines, when hitched to a light vehicle has a tendency to -box his ankles on account of the hold-back straps hugging -his quarters together.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_63'>63</span> - <h2 class='c005'>IN CONCLUSION.</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c006'>If you have carefully read thus far you may feel -conscious that I have repeated and reiterated again and -again certain things in relation to “fixing feet”. If I have -done this more than to you seems necessary, it is because -of the importance of the things repeated, and because of my -desire to impress my readers with their importance.</p> - -<p class='c007'>If you find herein anything that you are specially interested -in, that to you may seem cloudy or involved, and not -clear, I will be pleased to clarify and elucidate any point -by correspondence.</p> - -<p class='c007'>My life study and work has been in connection with -the thing about which I have herein written. I have been -always, and am now, intensely and vitally interested in this -subject, and my reason for putting my ideas into print is -because of my extreme interest in the trotting and pacing -race horse, and also because of a hope that by widening, -and extending to others, the horizon of my experiences, by -the means of a printed book, I may help many a sore horse, -as well as many a discouraged trainer and driver and owner.</p> - -<div class='lg-container-r'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>WILLIAM J. MOORE,</div> - <div class='line in4'>Pittsfield,</div> - <div class='line in8'>Berkshire County,</div> - <div class='line in12'>Massachusetts.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='lg-container-l'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>June, 1916.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='tnotes x-ebookmaker'> - -<div class='chapter ph2'> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c004'> - <div>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES</div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - - <ol class='ol_1 c002'> - <li>Silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in spelling. - - </li> - <li>Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed. - </li> - </ol> - -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BALANCING AND SHOEING TROTTING AND PACING HORSES ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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