128 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



and to send the body to the left without loss of speed. We find the 

 near fore averaging i inch ahead of off fore and the off hind 3^2 

 inches in advance of near hind. 



I regret not having any data of pacers going around the turns,, 

 but the reader will readily see why pacers should take the turns more 

 easily than trotters. To begin with, pacers shift their center of gravity 

 more readily from side to side. It is in the nature of their gait. In 

 the diagonal motion of the trotter the center of gravity does not shift 

 so readily to the left at the turns and in the attempt to do so the equality 

 of distance between the correlated feet is apt to be disurbed. With the 

 lateral locomotion not only is the swing from side to side favorable to 

 taking the turns well, but there is always a more natural support with 

 both legs on the outside which are thrust forward at the same time ;. 

 and there is also a greater possibility to maintain the equality of the 

 distances between the correlated or lateral feet. But for a possible 

 cross-firing there seems to be less chance for a break. 



Judging from the mare Alone 2:09-^, whose gait has been dis- 

 cussed in another chapter, and which took the turns well, it would seem 

 that the pacer as well as the trotter is better able to take a turn by 

 endeavoring to get a good support on the outside. The pacer is better 

 braced against tipping over to outside by having his two feet there 

 always at the same distance from each other, while the trotter has his 

 outside feet move in opposite directions. There is with the trotting 

 action a continual opening and closing of legs on the outside of turn. 

 Therefore, his support is not as steady and may further be weakened 

 by a possible interference, such as scalping or speedy-cutting. While 

 in front his leaning to inside will induce him to carry left fore slightly 

 in advance of right fore, the right hind leg will endeavor, as shown in 

 Fig. 92, to act as a brace and to gain a better foothold and support by 

 preceding the left hind leg. In this effort the right hind leg is carried 

 more to the outside than it would on the straight course, as we shall 

 directly see by comparing the averages of 10 strides taken at curve and 

 at straight course immediately following turn. 



In Fig. 93 this comparison brings out the position of these lines 

 of motion with reference to the median line. The median line around 



