Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



In considering the overstep we should remember that its distance 

 is in a certain proportion to the general average of stride, and that the 

 greater the stride, the greater will be the overstep. Practice will 

 determine its proper proportion to the stride. 



It may be stated here that with horses of hind legs pointing for- 

 ward or standing under excessively, or with fore legs pointing back- 

 ward, or both fore and hind pointing in that manner, the overstep will 



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show an unnatural length even with a short stride. In other words, 

 though this calculation of overstep is not absolutely necessary for prac- 

 tical purposes, it gives an insight into the locomotion of the trotter that 

 make's it clearer to the mind in what way a possible correction may be 

 attained. I do not insist on a complete carrying out of these calcula- 

 tions of the measurements, because for practical purposes it may suffice 

 to ascertain simply the average stride, the distances of correlated feet 

 of Fig. 38, and the extensions of legs as given in table of Fig. 37. If 



