What Kind of Horses Are Pacers & Trotters?

Pacers and trotters are horses used in harness racing, pulling a two-wheeled cart or sulky over a mile track. These horses race using a specific gait, which is pacing or trotting, and have their own individual races. In North America, they are bred especially for harness racing and are called "Standardbreds."

  1. Pacers

    • Pacers are horses that have a specific gait that moves both legs on the same side forward in unison. The horses wear hobbles, which are straps that connect the front and rear legs on the same side. Hobbles help the horse to keep its stride without hindering its speed. Pacers make up about around 75 percent of all Standardbreds used for harness racing. Some of the important pacer races in North America are the Woodrow Wilson, Metro Stake and the Pacing Triple Crown.

    Trotters

    • Trotters move their right rear and their left front legs forward together, following with left rear and right front legs. These horses are not usually fitted with hobbles and can move out of stride and sometimes trot too fast, which is known as "breaking." Some of the most important harness races with trotters include the Hambletonian, the Dexter Cup and the Kentucky Futurity.

    Breed Characteristics

    • Standardbreds differ from thoroughbred horses in that they tend to be more muscled and longer in the body, according to Kentucky Equine Research. The head is slightly larger than a thoroughbred with longer ears. As harness racing requires strategy and varying changes of speed, Standardbreds have a better disposition and are more placid than thoroughbreds. They are heavier built horses with long solid legs and powerful shoulders and hindquarters, weighing around 800 to 1,100 pounds. Height can vary from 14.1 to 16.1 hands, and common colors are chestnut, bay and black.

    Rules

    • All Standardbred horses have to be registered with the USTA before being eligible to race, or if they want inclusion in the Standardbred breeding industry, according to the USTA. Horses that are not registered are used for farm work and transportation, as they generally have calm and willing temperaments. Pacers and trotters must keep the same gait throughout the race. Should they break into a sudden gallop, they can be disqualified; or if the driver falls out of the sulky, the horse will be disqualified. Harness racing horses also are chosen at random and drug tested.