276 HANDBOOK OF THE TURF. 



The beauties of the trot consist in its regularity, gracefulness, height 

 and speed— but it is extremely rare to find all these combined in 

 tlie same horse. Its regularity Is indicated by the synchronism oC 

 the beats and the unit'oimity of the step. Its gracefulness consists 

 in its lightness, ease and suppleness, as well as in the parallelism 

 of the planes of oscillation of the members in their relation to the 

 medium plane. Its hei^iit is associated with the energy of propul- 

 sion and the length of the projection. The speed depends upon the 

 length of the projection. The speed depends tipon the length of 

 the steps and the freqtiency of their repetition in a given time. 

 * * * All horses do not trot in the same manner. There are some 

 in which llie extension of the whole anterior is carried to such an 

 extreme that the contact of the foot with the ground, after a short 

 time of arrest, seems almost to be effected upcui the heels. The 

 movements of the posterior members are equally very extended, 

 whence an energetic effort of propulsion, much more ae^/on, as we 

 are in the habit of saying. Again there are some light trotters 

 which emit but faint beats when trotted upon a hard road or pave- 

 ment; others on the contrary ejnit heavy sounds under these cir- 

 cumstances. Some rock themselves from the fact of very great 

 corpulence or a vicious axis of the members. Some raise their legs 

 instifliciently from the ground, scrape the llocu-; others elevate 

 them excessively, trot from the knees which is so much loss of 

 force. Others again lack harmony between the movements of the 

 fore, and those of the hind limbs, or have some anatomical defect 

 of certain regions which detracts from the grace and ease of the 

 gait, and even exposes them to many accidents. Some, in fact, 

 even show their shoes from excessive flexion of the pastern upon the 

 fetlock.— The Exterior of the Horse, Armand Goubuux and Gustave 

 Barrier. 



Trotter. A horse kept for speed ; a trotting bred horse ; 

 a fast horse ; the noblest equine product of the modern, highly 

 developed American civilization. The American trotter of 

 to-day usually traces to one or more of the following ancestors ; 

 Messenger, True Briton and Diomed, all thoroughbreds ; Bell- 

 founder, a Norfolk trotter ; Grand T3ashaw, a Barb ; Pilot, a 

 Canadian pacer ; Blue Bull, an Ohio pacer. In his con- 

 formation he should be without blemish, harmonious and well 

 constructed in body and limb. If the loins are slightly weak 

 and the withers rather low these are not grave defects and may 

 be overlooked; but he must have a powerful croup, thighs, 

 buttocks, legs and hocks ; also, long neck, shoulders and fore- 

 arms; he must not be too horizontal in the croup; the inclina- 

 tion of the superior segments of the legs must be normal ; he 

 nmst have width, height and depth of chest; wide, thick, neat 

 and clean joints ; in a word he must possess all the character- 

 istics of a beautiful conformation. It is when in motion that 

 a trotter can be best judged. By the action, lengthened, hug- 

 ging the ground and regular; by the extent and complete 

 projection of the fore legs, and by the energetic action of the 

 hind legs, he will show to the best advantage his spirit and 

 characteristics as a trotter. 



Tlie Amei-ican trotter is now practically a thoroughbred.— Prof. Robert 



Wallace, University of Edinburgh, "Scotland. 

 Tlie truth seems to be that great trotters, like great men, inherit from 



their mothers what has aptly been termed the subtle ambition to 



succeed.— Road, Track and Stable, H. C. Merwin. 



