30 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



Though often called a "low" gait it is not in reality so ; but there 

 is no waste of energy in excessive elevation or extension of the feet, 

 hence it strikes the eye as being a gait without loss of motion or a gait 

 with some reserve force back of it. All in all, it is the best form of 

 standard gait for the trotter in my opinion, because of those character- 

 istics. 



In Fig. 27 I have endeavored to compare the relative elevation of 

 knee and hock joints and their rotations. The lines enclosing the 

 hock action are the limits of elevation of knee action. Generally the 

 hock joint stands higher than the knee joint, and generally, and in 

 spite of that fact, the limit of hock action does not equal that of the 

 knee. In the mare Elaine, however, it does so nearly ; and this is the 

 point at issue with evenly divided action and extension. It is this 

 lower action or elevation in front and the more than ordinary elevation 

 behind that causes the impression of a "low" or creeping gait, when in 

 fact it is a gait of exceptional value for speed, with a view to sound- 

 ness, a free head and a sure footing. 



The third object of comparison is a horse called Edgerton in 

 the book "The Horse in Motion," but which was probably Abe 

 Edgington instead, because on the photograph of Muybridge therein 

 produced he is shown as a gray gelding, which Abe Edgington was. 

 He* was by Stockbridge Chief Jr., and had a record of 2:23^, got 

 in 1878. 



In studying his gait we arrive at the conclusion that he belongs 

 to the more ordinary class of trotters, with only medium action and a 

 tendency to stand under in front as well as behind, as was shown in 

 Figs. 17 and 18 under B. It may be noted in the illustration how hind 

 foot passes on outside of fore, as in the second position. This is a 

 faulty way of going at great speed ; for to-day the "line trot", so well 

 advocated by the owner of Palo Alto Farm, and so well exemplified in 

 the Electioneer family, is the only rational trot whereby the horse can 

 go fast and safe. By line trot is to be understood a way of moving 

 hind leg in nearly the same path as the fore leg on the same side ; at 

 any rate, the fore on that side must be out of the way for the hind 

 when the latter reaches forward. In Edgington the folding of knee is 



