ACTION, 



351 



If we observe a "true" galloper, we shall note that he 

 holds his head and neck in a more or less uniform position 

 (p. 90), so as to enable the muscles of the neck to work 

 in a regular manner. 



The hind legs, at the gallop, should be brought well 

 forward under the body, with particularly quick recovery 

 after having been straightened out. Their action, like that 

 of the fore-hand, should be characterised by the machine- 

 like regularity of their forward and backward sweep. The 

 limbs should move in such perfect accord one with the 

 other, that there will be the least possible rise and fall 



Photo by2 



[II. H. H. 



Fig. 411. — Trotting. 



Photo by] ■ [M. H. H. 



Fig. 412. — Extravagant action at a slow trot. 



of the fore-hand'; for if the weight be depressed at one 

 moment, it will have to be raised during the next, by an 

 expenditure of force which will be wasted as far as pro- 

 gression is concerned. 



Leaping. — In Chapter XIII. we have seen that the 

 "take-off" in the leap consists of the raising of the fore- 

 hand and in the propulsion of the body. Hence, at that 

 moment, the animal should have his head raised and some- 

 what drawn back, so as to "lighten" the fore -hand, 

 for which object, and in order to be able to fully bend 

 the hind legs, he should have them well under him (Fig. 

 224). To obtain the maximum effect of propulsion, the 

 horse should straighten his hind legs to their utmost extent 



