126 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



On the turns of our oval tracks the so-called "left habit" is not a 

 bad acquisition. Ordinarily the horse will lean to the left, thereby 

 shifting its center of gravity to the inside and counteracting the cen- 

 trifugal force which tends to send the body straight ahead on a tan- 

 gent to that curve. What is true of the fore legs in this respect is also 



F/G'30. 



trotter around turn 



true of the hind legs. The off fore as well as the off hind act as 

 braces against the centrifugal force and their positions on the off side 

 insure a well taken turn. In order to effect a bracing by the off side 

 the off fore is placed slightly behind near fore and the off hind is 

 placed slightly in advance of near hind. 



FIG. 9 i 



pacer around turn 



Special trials around a curve or turn gave evidence of facts well 

 worth considering. There is always more danger of interference be- 

 tween hind and fore at the turns. The trotter will suffer from such 

 interference on either side and the pacer between opposite sides. It 

 becomes therefore of great importance to ascertain the difference of 



