The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-07-31
HORSES IN ACTION
Advisable to Examine Animal
Carefully for LameneSS.
OBSERVE The VARIOUS CATS
Perfection in Walking Is Characterized
by Feet Being Brought UP Quick
Iy-Trottine Must Be With
out Wabbling.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
Lameness due to a variety of use
and of various forms, some not at first
apparent, should be carefully looked
for when examining a horse in action.
When lameness is present only at GER
tain times, it is known as intermittent
lameness, consequently it is advisable
to examine a horse on several different
occasions. In cold lameness the ami
ma will go sound after he is warmed
up, while in warm lameness the i'm
pediment does not manifest itself I'M
til after considerable exercise. Finch
ing when the horse turns sharply indi-
Gates shoulder lameness. The various
gaits should be observed from the
front, side, and rear, in order that the
desirable features and defects may not
be overlooked.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. in this gait is
characterized by the feet being
brought up quickly from the ground,
by their being carried in a straight
line, by lengthy stride, and by the
cycle being completed quickly. All of
these aid in producing a rapid walk,
which is a great asset to horses used
for any purpose. The defects of gait
which may well be noted while the
horse is walking are interfering, wing
ing, toeing in or toeing out, and spraw-
ling.
Trot-This gait must be square ;
that is, it must be without any ten
dency to wabble, shuttle, or mix gaits,
and the hind feet should follow in line
with the fOrefeet. In the roadster and
trotting race horse speed is highly
valued, while in the park saddle horse
d fair degree of nicely balanced knee
and hook action is demanded. The
highest priced factor of the harness
horse expresses itself at the trot In
extreme knee and hook action. Even
in the draft horse a square, open, we'll
balanced trot with pronounced knee
and hook action adds many dollars to
his selling price. The common defects
of the trOt are interfering, forging
dwelling, hopping, and knee action
without a propOrtionate amount OF
hook action or vice versa. Lameness
may be detected in the trOt when il
may not be apparent in other gaits
An abundance or lack of energy anC
ambition is apparent during t%rotting
by the general department and car
rlage.
Pace.-The pacing gait is more Of
less common in harness horses, anC
1t is useful as a fast road gait OF
smooth thoroughfares. The charac
teristic movements of the limbs in thii
gait consist in the feet on the SAM
side of the body striking the grOunC
simultaneously. The principal defecti
of the pace are cross-firing and hit
ting the knees.
Easy Gaits.-Plantation horses ant
five-gaited saddle horses have gait
that are easy on the rider as well a
on the horse. Such gaits are desire'
principally for long rides and ar
known as slow pace, fox or dog trot
and running walk. Any One of then
may constitute one of the gaits of
ive-gaited horse, while the faster cas-.
gait demanded in such a horse is tn
rack or singlefoot. This is inferno
date between the trot and pace, tn
feet hitting the ground n at a time
producing a gait easy on the rider
but firing to the horse.
Canter.-The canter, classed as
saddle gait, may be described as
modified, collected, and very slow gal
lop. It should be graceful, easy, an
handily performed.
Wlnd.-To test the wind have tn
horse ridden at a very fast gallon
stopping him abruptly so that you ma