Balancing and Shoeing Trotting and Pacing Horses

In Short

This book serves as a practical, technical guide to the specialized art of farriery for harness-racing horses. Written by an experienced blacksmith who spent decades at a premier breeding farm, the text focuses on how subtle adjustments to a horse’s foot—through rasping, balancing, and weighted shoeing—can correct gait faults like hitting, stumbling, or pacing. It remains a vital document for horsemen because it strips away complex jargon in favor of direct, observable mechanics, emphasizing that a horse’s speed and consistency are fundamentally born from the health and balance of its hooves.

The Story

The progression of this work moves from the foundational philosophy of foot care to the granular mechanics of gait correction. The author begins with the premise that most performance issues in trotting and pacing horses are not inherent flaws in the animal, but rather the result of improper foot preparation and shoeing. He establishes that a “perfect foot” is a rarity, and the farrier’s primary duty is to act as an architect of movement, using the rasp and knife to create symmetry and proper angles.

As the text advances, it catalogs a series of common, frustrating gait faults—such as shin hitting, paddling, scalping, and elbow hitting. For each issue, the author provides a specific, actionable remedy. He explains, for example, that a horse hitting its shins is often suffering from a foot that is too high on the outside, and he details the exact process for lowering the wall and weighting the shoe to correct the flight of the leg. The arc of the book is one of gradual refinement: moving from the general care of foals and the preparation of a basic foot, through the complex trial-and-error of balancing a "bad hitter," to the advanced techniques of converting a natural pacer to a trotter.

Throughout this journey, the author maintains a consistent argument: the trainer should not rely on the whip or the reins to force a horse into a desired gait. Instead, the horseman must study the animal’s movement, identify the physical imbalance causing the error, and modify the shoeing to allow for a natural, efficient stride. The narrative culminates in a call for methodical record-keeping, urging trainers to document every detail—from foot angles to the specific hole in a check rein—so that they might move away from guesswork and toward an exact science of performance. The book concludes with the author’s heartfelt desire that these lessons will alleviate the suffering of sore horses and provide discouraged owners with a path to success, grounded in the simple, patient observation of how a horse hits the ground.

How It Unfolds

The foundational principles The author establishes that the farrier’s work is the most crucial, yet most neglected, aspect of horse training. He explains the essential rules for leveling feet, emphasizing that front and hind feet must be treated as matching pairs to ensure a consistent, non-straining gait.

Diagnosing the gait The middle chapters serve as a diagnostic encyclopedia for common performance failures, such as knee-knocking or forging. Each fault is traced back to a specific anatomical imbalance, usually involving incorrect heel height or uneven toe lengths, which the author methodically breaks down for the reader.

Refining the technique The author introduces advanced corrective measures, including the strategic use of sideweights and rolling-toe shoes to influence how a horse breaks over the ground. He explains how to adjust the weight of the shoe to either increase or decrease stride extension, depending on the individual needs of the horse.

Mastering the transition The final sections address the ambitious task of converting a pacer to a trotter, or vice versa, through rigid adherence to specific foot angles. He concludes by stressing that successful training relies on meticulous records, allowing the horseman to view the animal’s progress as a series of deliberate, measurable adjustments.

The People

The central figure is the author, William J. Moore, a man defined by his thirty-five years of experience at the Allen Farm. He appears as a craftsman who views the horse with deep empathy and scientific detachment; he hates to see a horse suffer or be blamed for a "fault" that is actually a result of poor shoeing. He views "know-it-alls" who rely on whips rather than logic as the greatest obstacle to progress.

The secondary figures are the trainers and owners, often portrayed as well-meaning but occasionally misguided individuals who have been led astray by complex, "fandangle" theories or inconsistent practices. Moore acts as their mentor, nudging them away from the cruelty of over-checking a horse’s head or pulling on the lines, and toward the patience required to fix a foot properly. Finally, there is the horse itself—the silent, suffering student. The horse wants only to move naturally, and Moore’s work is dedicated to removing the physical obstructions that prevent the animal from reaching its full potential.

In Its Own Voice

"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." The author encourages the reader to trust in observation and corrective work over the arrogance of casual expertise.

"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." The author sharply criticizes the reliance on force rather than proper shoeing to achieve a clean gait.

What It's Really About

This book is a treatise on the ethics of craftsmanship. While ostensibly about horseshoes, it is really about the responsibility of the human to understand the mechanics of the animal they serve. The author argues that true skill lies in the ability to "assist nature"—to recognize that an animal's performance is a direct reflection of the care provided to its physical foundation. It poses the question of whether a horseman is truly observant enough to see the cause of a problem, or if they are merely covering it up with training aids. Ultimately, it is an argument for patience, suggesting that the most complex performance problems are often solved by the simplest, most honest work at the anvil.

Why Read It Today

Readers with an interest in equestrian history, blacksmithing, or the mechanics of movement will find this book deeply rewarding. It provides a rare, unadorned look at a lost era of horse management where the farrier was a central, analytical partner to the trainer. The writing feels like a conversation in a dusty forge; it is plain, repetitive, and deeply confident, reflecting a time when practical wisdom was gained through the slow accumulation of experience.

Potential readers should be aware that the text is highly technical and specific to the harness-racing industry of the early 20th century. While the author’s warmth and dedication to the horse’s welfare are timeless, the terminology and the focus on specific, dated equipment require a reader who is willing to engage with the period’s focus on the "trotting and pacing" discipline. There is little fluff or theory here—only the hard-won, practical realities of fixing feet. Those who value a guide that tells you exactly how to do the work, without apology or unnecessary flourish, will find this a fascinating and useful volume. It is a testament to the idea that if you understand the anatomy of the foot, you can solve almost any problem the horse presents.