VII. SHIN HITTING OF THE HIND LEGS.
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 high inside on the hind foot, 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 inside of hind feet the highest (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 feet properly prepared to help the line of action.
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 with hind legs and if he cannot, without interference, then they will have to go outside (see article on how to widen hind action).