XXX. TO CONVERT A PACER TO TROT.
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 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.