MODERN FAimiEU. 223 



In galloping, the legs all move separately, and 

 come to the ground in regular succession after each 

 other. Hence, the usual mode of representing the 

 horse in painting, with his fore-legs and hind-legs 

 extended at the same time, is quite erroneous ; be- 

 cause the hind-legs are always advanced under the 

 body, to receive the weight at the time that the 

 fore-legs are extended. Dogs, and other animals 

 with flexible spines, gallop with their fore and hind- 

 legs extended at the same time ; but horses are in- 

 capable of such motions. 



During the gallop, the horse leads with one fore- 

 leg projected beyond the other ; and riders, in gene- 

 ral, (though there is no very obvious reason for it) 

 prefer the off or right fore-leg to the near or left. 

 But this is all the effect of habit ; for, as the body 

 of the horse is obliged to move rather obliquely, 

 and not in a straight line, the rider, for his own 

 ease, is also obliged to sit in the same direction. 

 Hence, after being accustomed to ride a horse that 

 leads always with the same leg, he finds it inconve- 

 nient and unpleasant to ride one that leads with the 

 opposite leg; but this, as has been just observed, is 

 entirely the effect of habit. 



Every horse, however, should be taught to lead 

 with either leg occasionally, because the leg with 

 which he does not lead does more work than the 

 other, by coming to the ground first, and thereby 

 receiving first the shock of the body. Moreover, if 

 the horse is never suffered to change his legs, he ac- 

 quires a stiff contracted motion on the one side com- 

 paratively with that of the other; and therefore, 

 \vhen obliged to change, he goes not only very un- 

 'easily to himself, but also to his rider. 



During the gallop, it is necessary that there 

 shoidd be an uniformity of action in all the four 

 legs. Thus, if the horse leads with the off or right 

 fore-leg, the right hind-leg should follow ; but if the 

 animal leads with the off or right fore-leg, and the 



