204 



Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



this may be corrected if we can afford, by time and patience and slower 

 speed, to carry out this correction. When investigating the gait of 

 "Lou Dillon" we found a peculiar crossing over of fore legs. In a 

 lesser degree this has been observed in other trotters ; and although 

 such a way of going appears freakish, there seems to be good reason for 

 not disparaging that kind of locomotion. Aside from the absence of 

 interference with the hind feet, no matter how far the latter reach 

 forward, the fore feet seem to display a greater power for propulsion 

 by their contact with the ground on opposite sides, as shown in Fig. 

 157. The feet that move together are on either side of that speedy 

 mare and the shaded portions of the feet indicate the part of the foot 

 that gives the impetus. Instead of its being the point of the front toe, 



t\ 



o n 



Of 



of 



A A- 



n h oh 

 FIGJ57 



where the leverage is often fatiguing, the outside toe effects the pro- 

 pulsion and does it more readily because of the smaller leverage. Be- 

 hind the propulsion is effected by the full to.e. Again, the slight sway 

 of the body from side to side gives additional momentum to the motion 

 of the horse. It is really a combination of the diagonal propulsion of 

 the trot with the lateral propulsion of the pace. The picture of 

 Cresceus 2 102^ and his peculiar attitude always suggested to my mind 

 a similar mode of locomotion. 



A picture of Sweet Marie 2 :O2 at speed is given in Fig. I57a, and 

 even here it becomes apparent that such crossing over of the fore feet 

 is very likely a feature of her gait. The photograph at least seems to 

 disclose such a fact. I have always regretted having 'been unable to 

 investigate her gait, but distance and business forbade my doing so. . 



