94 



THE HORSE. 



extension so generally adopted must be inaccurate. It may be said 

 that this is meant to represent the moment when all the feet are in 

 the air, and theoretically it is possible that there may be a time 

 when all the feet are extended; because, as in the fast gallop the 

 stride is twenty-four feet long, while the horse only measures six- 

 teen from foot to foot, it follows that he must pass through eight 

 feet without touching the ground, and during that time, as of ne- 

 cessity his legs must move faster than his body, the fore legs may 

 change their position from the curled up one described above to 

 the extended one represented by all painters as proper to the gal- 

 lop. Observation alone can therefore settle this question ; but, as 

 I before remarked, a race-glass at a distance of a quarter of a mile 

 enables a careful observer to satisfy himself that our received 

 ideas of the extended gallop are incorrect. Nevertheless, if a 

 proper interpretation is given, the eye at once rebels, and on ex- 



CORRECT VIEW OF THE GALLOP. 



amination of such a figure as we here give, founded on perfectly 

 correct principles, the mind refuses its assent to the idea of great 

 pace, which is that which is desired to be given. These facts are 

 well known to artists, and some of them, including the celebrated 

 Leech, have tried the experiment of drawing the galloping horse 

 properly ; but their entire want of success shows the impossibility 

 of the performance. 



As IN THE CANTER so in the gallop a lead is always made of one 

 leg before the other, and as one tires the other changes place with 

 it. A good, true, and strong galloper will seldom require this re- 

 lief, but a weak one, especially if not completely broken, will effect 



