Re: Lummox's feet

In article <200703151250.l2FCo9dj104436@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Michael Stemper <mstemper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Lummox is, of course, the beast that is the star of _Star Beast_.

In the first chapter, RAH describes two different gaits, with the
description being the "firing order" of Lummox's feet, numbered
[1..8]. Has anybody ever worked out what the numbering must be,
based upon the gaits described?

I'd assume that foot 1 is in front, and foot 8 is in back. But, I
can still see two likely orderings:
- Even on one side, odd on the other, increasing front to back
- [1..4] on one side, [5..8] on the other, again increasing front to back

(A third possibility, which I find unlikely, would be similar to the
way that dentists number teeth.)

This is a geeky enough question that it seems likely that the RAH of
the 1950s would have not thrown down numbers arbitrarily, but worked
out all of the mechanics completely and consistently. Probably on
butcher paper.

I think it's fairly clear that the numbering is

head
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
* *tail, if any

Consider the description of the high-speed gait as the
"double-ended gallop, moving legs 1 & 2 & 5 & 6 together,
alternating with 3 & 4 & 7 & 8." An ordinary quadrupedal horse,
galloping, hits the ground with both forefeet at once, then both
hindfeet at once. Lummox's gallop hits with the first and third
pair, then with the second and fourth pair, and repeat.

Now, I wonder if Lummox is capable of a rack.

The rack is the fifth gait sometimes used by Icelanding ponies.
Both left feet, then both right feet. Imagine a double-ended
rack: 1-3-5-7 alternating with 2-4-6-8. I imagine her rider
would get seasick fairly quickly.

Dorothy J. Heydt
Albany, California
djheydt@xxxxxxxxxxx
.