88 



CHAP. XXVII. 



ON THE CANTER AND GALLOP. 



IN the walk Tind trot^ a horse moves his four 

 feet regularly and alternately, two at a time, 

 supporting himself crosswise ; but his action 

 in the gallop is different. When a horse 

 strikes into the canter or gallop, he leads with 

 whichever of his fore legs the rider puts him 

 off. If he lead with the off fore leg, At be- 

 comes considerably advanced before the near 

 one, and the near hind leg and the off fore leg 

 are at a greater distance from each other di- 

 agonally than the two legs that have not led j 

 so, on the contrary, if the horse lead with the 

 near fore leg, the same takes place with respect 

 to it and the off hind leg, they being in their 

 turn at the greatest distance. The fore leg 

 which leads, and the hind leg v/hich follows it 

 transversely, have the least weight to support. 

 The two others, being more immediately 



