48 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



feet. The pace provides a freer movement, involves more of a 

 swaying motion than the trot, and, while faster by about three 

 seconds, is much less popular than the smoother-moving trot. 



The trot and pace are interchangeable, and numerous race 

 horses possess both gaits. The stallion Direct, with a pacing 

 record of 2:05!, also had a trotting record, as a four-year-old, of 

 2:i8|. Brown Hal, a great pacing sire, also had a trotting record. 

 John R. Gentry, 2:ool, a standard-bred trotter, was 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 1. 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. 



What is a standard-bred trotter? In 1882 the constitution of 

 the National Association of Trotting Horse Breeders, an associa- 

 tion organized in 1876, was amended, and among the rules 

 adopted were the following : 



In order to define what constitutes a trotting-bred horse,' and to establish a 

 breed of trotters on a more intelligent basis, the following rules are adopted to 

 control admission to the records of pedigrees. When an animal meets with the 

 requirements of admission and is duly registered, it shall be accepted as a 

 standard trotting-bred animal. 



First. Any stallion that has, himself, a record of two minutes and thirty 

 seconds (2:30) or better ; provided any of his get has a record of 2:40 or better, 

 or provided his sire or his dam, his grandsire or his grandam, is already a 

 standard animal. 



Second. Any mare or gelding that has a record of 2:30 or better. 



Third. Any horse that is the sire of two animals with a record of 2:30 or 

 better. 



Fourth. Any horse that is the sire of one animal with a record of 2:30 or 

 better; provided he has either of the following additional qualifications: (i) a 

 record himself of 2:40 or better ; (2) is the sire of two other animals with a 

 record of 2:40 or better ; (3) has a sire or dam, grandsire or grandam, that is 

 already a standard animal. 



Fifth. Any mare that has produced an animal with a record of 2:30 or better. 



Sixth. The progeny of a standard horse when out of a standard mare. 



Seventh. The progeny of a standard horse out of a mare by a standard horse. 



Eighth. The progeny of a standard horse when out of a mare whose dam 

 is a standard mare. 



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