94 



THE HORSE IN MOTION. 



gradual flexion of those joints and the bending of the fetlock as the 

 body passes over its point of support. 



The danger to be apprehended in the use of the fore leg to arrest 

 the downward movement when the body was falling, as in Fig. 5, does 

 not exist in this position, as the momentum of gravity has been ar- 

 rested by the posterior extremities, and the centre of gravity has 

 reached its lowest point, while the weight is divided with the hind leg. 

 Propulsion is now going on in the fore leg through the great pec- 

 toral and dorsal, and in the hind leg through its propellers proper. 



Fig. 9. 



The ri"-ht fore leg in Fig. 9 is now taking the entire weight of the 

 body, is nearly perpendicular, is correspondingly shortened, and its 

 fellow is extended forward in the position to take its turn. The left 

 hind foot is clear of the ground, and the right has been elevated by the 

 action of the semitendinosus slightly flexing the stifle. The settling of 

 the body has not varied much from the position seen in the last figure. 

 Propulsion by the great pectoral and dorsal on the fore leg, which is 

 also bearing alone the full weight of the body, is most energetic, and 

 to the best advantage. 



In the interval that has passed between the position of Figs. 9 and 

 10 the left fore foot has descended twelve inches, is only four inches 

 from the ground, and must be considered as in the position in which 



