TROTTERS. 



589 



which the fast trotter has to contend against, is that of 

 getting his fore feet out of the way of his hind ones. Hence, 

 progress in trotting speed is accompanied by increasing 

 necessity for protection in the form of " boots," which is 

 a mechanical factor that renders high-speed trotting an 

 artificial gait. The close approximation of the feet 

 of the trotter to the line of direction in which he is pro- 

 ceeding, greatly favours his speed, by diminishing the 



Photo &!/] [Baker Art Gallery, Columbus, Ohio. 



Fig. 572. — Mr. George Ketcham's Cresceus (2.02j) in Faber sulky. 



tendency to lateral movement. In fact, when the trotter 

 travels fast, the imprints of his fore and hind feet tend to 

 come into a straight line. Although this arrangement of 

 the feet favours speed, it increases the animal's habihty 

 to '* hit himself," and adds to the value of boots. 



It is evident that all kinds of conformation which 

 increase the proportion of weight on the fore-hand, 

 diminish the abihty of the trotter to get his fore legs 

 out of the way of the hind ones, at high speed. Conse- 



