150 THE HORSE 



from beliind as well as before, which gives an opportunity of investigating 

 the movements of both pairs of limbs. Every horse should be so made 

 that, when he stands, his fore cannon-bones should be quite parallel ; but in. 

 order to be so, as they stand closer together than his elbows, they must 

 form a slight angle with the arm at the knee; and hence, as this part 

 is bent, there is always a slight tendency to turn out the foot, the ex- 

 aggerated form of which is called " dishing." The observer will, therefore, 

 do well to ascertain the extent to which this should be carried, or he will 

 be apt to condemn a perfect goer as a "disher," from finding that he turns 

 out iiis toes in bending the knee, though only in the trifling degree ordained 

 by nature. If, in bending by the hand the fore-foot to the elbow, the 

 inner heel of the shoe is in contact with the outside of the arm, there will 

 not be too much turning out of the foot, and the purchaser need not be 

 afraid of this defect existing in the horse he is examining. Provided the 

 fetlocks and cannon-bones are not actually touched or "hit " in trotting, the 

 fore-legs cannot be moved too closely together ; but if they pass very near 

 to one another in a fat dealer's horse, it may be suspected that when he 

 is reduced in flesh to a proper working condition, boots will be necessary. 

 A practised eye is required to judge of this correctly, and, if there is any 

 doubt, one had better be consulted. In London, for park-riding and 

 driving, very high and round action is the fashion, and fabulous prices 

 are given for well-shaped animals which can " pull their knees " almost up 

 to their noses. Pace is sacrificed ; and many of the most highly-prized 

 London trotters are unable to do ten miles an hour. A favourable specimen 

 of this kind of trotting action is shown in the cab-horse at page 130, in 

 which the shoulders are so well-formed that although the knee is remarkably 

 well-bent and raised, the whole limb is well thrust forward, and the action 

 of the hind-legs also is so propulsive that a faster pace than usual is 

 obtained. 



The Norfolk trotter of the present day has very perfect action, inter- 

 mediate between the pointed and flying trot of the American horse, and 

 the round high knee-action of the London park-horse. Even he, however, 

 is not nearly so pleasant to ride as the thoroughbred, when the latter can 

 trot at all ; but many of this breed have been so long accustomed to the 

 gallop, that their trot is a most imperfect pace. When they do perform 

 it properly, it gives a most delightful feel, and no rider for pleasure, if 

 money is at his command, should " throw his leg " over any but a 

 thoroughbred, or one nearly pure in blood. 



THE HAND GALLOP 



Between the canter and the true gallop there intervenes a pace which 

 may be easily confounded with either, unless Mr. Blaine's definition of the 

 canter is accepted, when the hand gallop can easily be distinguished from it. 

 This pace is merely a slow and measured gallop, in which for a very short 

 period all the legs leave the gi'ound, but in which the propulsion is steadily 

 given, and not with those snatches or jerks which are necessary to develop 

 the high speed of the extended gallop. The body also is not nearer the 

 ground than in the act of standing, and this may be considered as one of 



