CHAPTER VII 



THE PACER 



The ancestry of the pacer does not differ from that of the 

 trotter. The distinguishing difference between them, if any, 

 depends upon the gait. However, the same horse may pace on 

 one occasion and trot on another. 



The pace consists in the two legs on one side being moved 

 forward at about the same time, thus presenting a sort of par- 

 allel movement. The horse naturally paces when his body is 

 hardly long enough to permit of a free diagonal movement with- 

 out interference of the feet. The pace provides a freer movement. 



The trot consists in moving forward at much the same time 

 front and rear opposite limbs, as, for example, the left front leg 

 and the right hind leg. On account of the special leg movement, 

 as exhibited by the gait, the pacer is often referred to as a " side 

 wheeler," or "racker," while the trotter is called " diagonal- 

 gaited." The pace involves more of a swaying movement than 

 the trot and is much less popular than the smoother moving trot. 



The trot and pace are interchangeable, and numerous race 

 horses possess each gait. The stallion Direct, with a pacing 

 record of 2.05^, also had a trotting record, as a four-year-old, of 

 2. 1 8. Brown Hal, a great pacing sire, also has a trotting record. 

 John R. Gentry 2.00^, a standard-bred trotter, is a very fast pacer 

 and a sire of pacers. Jay-Eye-See was first a trotter at 2.10 

 and later a pacer at 2.05^. Most horses naturally have one gait, 

 but many of them are easily taught the other. Hamilton Busby 

 states that he has seen the late Robert Bonner, the well-known 

 light-horse enthusiast and student of equine form and foot 

 ballast, take a pacing colt and in a few minutes change it to a 

 trotter by simply changing the bearing of its heels. The pace 

 is the faster gait of the two, being regarded as about three 

 seconds faster than the trot. 



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