66 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



median line or toes in, the minus ( ) sign indicates that tendency 

 The plus ( + ) sign is used merely, therefore, as indicating a more or 

 less correct position of foot on ground and is generally understood 

 where not given. In adding the plus and the minus quantities or 

 numerals separately, we are able to get at the sum total so that we may 

 get from it the average by dividing with the number of strides or nota- 

 tions registered. It may be well to introduce a definition or corollary 

 of algebra here to understand the meaning of sum total. It reads as 

 follows : 



"The sum of two quantities, the one positive and the other nega- 

 tive, is the numerical difference, with the sign of the greater prefixed." 



If therefore the distance (D) of off hind, as found in table, shows 

 a variation from o to .50 or y 2 inch on left side of middle line, and 

 from o to 2.50 or 2^2 inches on its right side, we find by adding the 

 variations on right side (or plus) (+ 14.50), and also those of left 

 side ( i), the difference of which is +13.50, which divided by 19 

 will give us the average, or +.71 inch, or nearly y^ inch on right side 

 of middle line. It will appear that this leg moves in a closer position 

 as compared with near hind, which shows a more positive variation 

 throughout and averages 4.13 inches to left of middle line. 



The pointing in and out of foot as registered by the angles found 

 with the track gauge will further illustrate the above definition of sum 

 total. In second column we have +6 45, which shows a difference 

 of 39; which for 19 strides averages 1.6. In the fourth column 

 we see the off fore point out or toe out a total of +37 and point in or 

 toe in a total of 10 ; the sum total of which is therefore +27, 

 which, divided by 19, or total occurrences, gives us +1.4. This means 

 that off fore, in spite of crossing over to near side 4.34 inches beyond 

 middle line, still toed out, or to right, just a little, while the near fore 

 crossing over to off side 1.60 inches on right side of and beyond middle 

 line toed in, or to right, a little more. 



The hind feet, having no such crossing over motion, are more easy 

 to understand in their directions. It is plain addition of columns and 

 divisions by 19 occurrences. We can see readily that off hind is being 

 more or less dragged along, twisting to a greater .angle (7.80) and 



