THE TROT, 127 
as I have already observed. Very few walkers actualty touch one foot with 
the other, as in the trot, nor do they overreach with violence so as, to 
injure their heels ; the only objection, therefore, is to the length of stride, 
which I have shown to produce an uneasy effect upon the rider. But 
whenever the horse appears to move as if his fore feet are in the way of 
the hind, he will rarely, even with the best tuition, become a pleasant 
and safe hack. 
THE RATE OF WALKING is very seldom quite five miles an hour, though 
horses are to be found which will accomplish the distance in that time, or 
even less. Many will do a mile in twelve minutes and a half; but to get 
beyond this is a very difficult task. Indeed there are few horses which in 
their walk will bear pressing to the utmost speed of which they are capable, 
without breaking. It may, I think, be assumed, that the average pace of 
good walkers is about four miles and a half to four miles and three-quarters 
per hour. 
THE TROT. 
Tus PAcE may be described under three heads, namely, the jog trot, 
the true trot, and the flying trot. In all three the diagonal limbs move 
“exactly together, but in the first the time during which each foot is on 
the ground is much greater than that in which it is in the air. In the 
second the contrary is the case; while, in the third, the horse is carried 
completely off his legs for a considerable space of time, between the 
several bounds which are made by the two feet of opposite sides as they 
touch the ground in succession. The jog trot seems to come naturally to 
the horse when he is first mounted ; and as long as he is fresh and fiery, 
the colt will maintain this pace, unless he is permitted to exceed it. He 
will prefer it to the walk for a long time ; and it is only by good hands, 
combined with patience, that a spirited colt can be made to walk; for he 
can generally jog quite as slowly, and often much more so, Farmers are 
very apt to accustom their young horses to the jog trot, because they find 
by experience that it does not injure their legs or feet ; but to a rider un- 
accustomed to this pace it is by no means an easy one. In the true trot, 
as exemplified below, the feet are on the ground a comparatively short 
space of time, the body being carried so rapidly forward that they are moved 
off almost as soon as they are deposited on it. By examining this outline, it 
will be seen that the position of the fore and hind limbs of the two oppo- 
site sides exactly corresponds, and this will be the case, whatever may be 
the period of the action in which the observation is made. As in the 
walk, each step may be divided into three acts; but I see no advantage 
in thus attempting to separate or analyse what must be considered in its 
totality, if it is to be regarded with any advantage to the observer. In 
the flying trot, which is well shown in the portrait of Flora Temple, at 
page 34, all the legs are for a very short period of time off the ground, as 
is there delineated, but still there is always an exact correspondence 
between the position of the fore and hind legs of opposite sides. The 
chief difference between these three varieties of the trot consists in the 
rapidity of the propulsion which is going on. This in the first is very 
slight ; and the more elastic the fetlock joints, the better and softer is 
this pace. The feet are raised, and the legs are rounded or bent; but the 
body is not thrust forward, nor are the shoulders moved in the same 
direction to any appreciable extent. The consequence is, that the feet are 
deposited again very close to the spot from which they are taken, and the 
pace is as slow as the walk. In the true trot, if it is well performed, the 
