86 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



common principles or laws pertaining to the rapid locomotion of the 

 trotter and the pacer that may be said to give us a certain standard 

 form of locomotion. Taking it all in all, therefore, the average or 

 standard gait of either should result in the greatest symmetry of 

 action, together with the greatest economy of energy and the greatest 

 speed. It is true that there will always be horses that have their own 

 way of going apparently, and this may be due to a peculiar develop- 

 ment and conformation. Their defects are often entirely offset by 

 muscular and structural compensations. In all such cases, however,, 

 the locomotion must be along lines of directness and symmetry ; other- 

 wise theVe would always be a lack of balance and of speed. 



This method of investigating a gait will at all times give us a 

 clearer idea of such modes of motion, and therefore enable us to cor- 

 rect any unevenness of gait all the more readily. In the small manual 

 books, which I intend to offer for that purpose, this method is set 

 forth in a more concise form, and they would materially help the in- 

 vestigator in getting at the truth of an irregular or peculiar gait. . 



