736 



APPENDIX N 



rider of all methods of locomotion of the horse, whereas the rack is 

 probably the most disagreeable and ungraceful. 



" Out of the old hackney-pace to a fine easy amble." 



BEN JONSON, Every Man in his Humour, Act Hi., sc. 2. 



" The grey inare . . . breaking from her sober amble into a gentle trot." DICKENS, 

 Barnaby Rudge, pt. i., ch. 14, p. 167 [H. & H. 71]. 



" The amble and the walk are the only regular progressive movements of the horse 

 wherein the body is never without the support of one or more legs ; in all others .the weight 

 is entirely off the ground for a longer or shorter period." E. M. 



FlG. 64. Some Consecutive Phases of the Trot 



The full stride is not completed until the right fore foot in 12 is brought to the ground as in 



position 1. 



Trot. A more or less rapid progressive movement of a quadruped 

 in which the diagonal limbs act nearly simultaneously, and during 

 which the body is entirely without support for varying intervals of 

 time and distance. 



When a horse is trotting at a high rate of speed, the fore foot 

 usually precedes its diagonal hind foot in being lifted from and placed 

 upon the ground, and the body will be entirely without support for 

 about one-half of the total length of the stride. Beginning the 

 notation with the landing of the right fore foot, the order of the sup- 

 porting feet will be : (i) the right fore foot ; (2) the left hind and 

 right fore feet ; the left hind foot ; (4) without support ; (5) the left fore 

 foot ; (6) the right hand and left fore feet ; (7) the right hind foot ; (8) 

 without support. The time during which one foot alone is on the 

 ground is very brief. 



" It appears somewhat remarkable that until quite recently many experienced horsemen 

 were of opinion that during the action of the trot one foot of a horse was always in contact 

 with the ground." E. M. 



