THE AMBLE 



31 



SOME CONSECUTIVE PHASES OF THE AMBLE. 



The amble has various local names, such as the 

 *' single foot," the "fox trot," etc. It has sometimes 

 been erroneously confused with the rack or the so- 

 called " pace;" it is the most gentle and agreeable to 

 the rider of all methods of locomotion of the horse, 

 while the rack is the most ungraceful and disagreeable. 



In Scott's romances are many allusions to the 

 'ambling palfry." Ben Jonson in "Every Man in 

 His Humor ' ' speaks of going ' ' out of the old hackney- 

 pace to a fine, easy amble," and Dickens in "Barnaby 

 Rudge ' ' refers to ' ' the gray mare breaking from her 

 sober amble into a gentle trot. ' ' 



The ambling gait is natural to the elephant, and to 

 the horse, the mule and the ass; but in many countries 

 these latter animals are not encouraged in its use. 



