84 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



lutely without deviation and to the toeing out of near fore to the extent 

 of an average of 4.1, as well as the slight toeing in of off fore to the 

 extent of an average of 1.5. 



Perhaps it is well to bring before the reader again the application 

 of the track gauge, and Fig. 63 presents the average measurement of 

 near hind. We have here placed the gauge with its sharp point at A 

 in middle between heels and set the distance found from A to S (0.825 

 inches, approximately 24 inch) at C to T. Then swinging BR till R 

 passes through point of toe, with little cross piece a b dividing quar- 

 ters into equal parts so as to locate point of toe more readily, we read 

 off the indicator at B on arc O P as giving 3.3. Since foot is point- 

 ing in or toward median line, its direction or angularity is negative 

 and thus indicated by 3.3. Of course, this track may be one of a 

 foot on off side, in which case the distance becomes negative, or 0.825 

 inches, because it is on opposite side of median line ; and its angularity 

 would become positive or +3.3, because the pointing of off foot is in 

 this case an outward one, or to the right, its more natural direction. 



Taking the average results as found in Fig. 62 and laying them 

 out on a line at right angles with the median line, as in Fig. 64, we 

 obtain an idea of the average lines of direction and of the angularity 

 of each foot. This represents the actual positions and distances ac- 

 cording to averages found. 



In Fig. 65 are found the actual condition of the position of feet, 

 as given in Fig. 64, and also a probable condition if swerve to left in 

 trial had not taken place. The two pairs of feet are placed alongside 

 of each other to facilitate comparisons. 



Right here I may draw attention to a marked difference between 

 the positions of hind feet in relation to fore feet. In pacers there is a 

 tendency to travel closer behind than in front, while in the trotter 

 there is an inclination of traveling wider behind than in front. While 

 Lou Dillon's gait can not represent a standard gait, all other investi- 

 gations with trotters and pacers have revealed this peculiarity. In 

 fact, Lou Dillon's gait is the extreme of such an inclination when one 

 considers that the crossing over of fore really means an extreme, or 

 becomes a negative, approach of fore. 



