THE FRAMEWORK OF THE HORSE. 33 



the diagrams A, B, fig. 2, the horse is made to tread 

 with the hind foot into the track of the fore one (this 

 is, in fact, a consequence of equilibrium); but we see 

 very many horses bring their hind feet (in all paces) 

 more or less ahead of the track or print of the fore 

 ones ; indeed almost all young and untrained horses 

 will do so, and, moreover, many whose work requires 

 them to act thus as, for instance, race-horses. This is 

 best seen by the hoof-marks left on moist ground or 

 sand, which will be found in double pairs instead of 

 single ones after such horses. Now of course it would 

 be as absurd to suppose that, under such circumstances, 

 a horse takes shorter steps with his fore legs than with 

 the hind ones, as to ignore what the immortal Hudi- 

 bras pointed out long ago namely, that when, having 

 but one spur, you make one side of your horse to get 

 along, the other is sure to follow ; a fact well known 

 to Irish " bull-riders " at Ballinasloe. 



There is another class of horses that, instead of over- 

 stepping, come short of the track of the fore feet with 

 the hind ones, and almost all horses do this at starting 

 in fact they cannot do otherwise ; these, too, leave a 

 double track. 



Now those that overstep will be usually found to be 

 sueh as are over-weighted on the forehand, whilst those 

 that step short are usually such as are over-weighted 

 behind, without the hind legs being brought under 

 the weight in a bent position like the manege-horse, 

 or that have some weakness, want of due proportion 

 or other deficiency, in their hind quarters. 



"When a horse oversteps with his hind legs the track 

 of the fore feet (<7, fig. 2,) the succession of full lines 

 connecting the two diagonal feet in each alternate 

 c 



