938 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



hind leg first. Thus if he leads with the legs of the right side, then the first foot he lifts is the far hind 

 foot, and in the time he is setting it down (whicli in a step is always short of the tread of his fore foot on 

 the same side) he lifts his far fore foot, and sets it down before his near fore foot. Again, just as he is 

 setting down his far fore foot, he lifts up his ne ir hind foot, and sets it down again just short of his near 

 fore foot ; and just as he is setting it down, he lifts his near fore foot, and sets it down beyond his far 

 fore foot. This is the true motion of a horse's legs in a walk ; and this is the pace in which many things 

 are best taught. For instance when the horse is to be taught to turn to the right and left, or from one 

 hand to another, he is first to be taught it on th j walk, then on the trot, and finally on the gallop. The 

 walk is a pace to which team, carriage, and read horses should constantly be well broke, as being of 

 great use in all such cases and intentions. It is an excellent pace too, in a saddle horse, when well 

 performed by being properly taught. 



5991. In trotting the limbs are diagonally employed; but their tenses or times, or 

 risino- and falling, are very different, as it is conducted slow or fast. In the slow trot 

 the diagonal legs are elevated and replaced simultaneously ; while those on the ground 

 are preparing to elevate themselves, and the horse is for a moment on tiptoe ; but until 

 the original diagonal legs are set down, these are not wholly elevated ; therefore the 

 horse is during the moderate trot at no time without support. But it is very different 

 when the trot is accelerated, as to nine or ten miles an hour ; for then there is a period 

 in every spring made by the diagonal riembers, when all the feet are in the air at the 

 same time ; and the body completely suspended from the ground by these means. Thus 

 during this accelerated action, the off fore leg and near hind leg having been elevated in 

 the air before they meet the ground, thf; near fore leg and the off hind one are not only 

 prepared, as in the slow trot, va-.^ 



to elevate themselves, but actual- fS^liitefcNi^ ^^^ 



ly do so before the others are /<^^'''<i!Hiw^^ 



in the trot, it is necessary that a ^__^- -/^1 iJi^^^^^*^\ \ ^^^^^ 

 horse pick up his feet quick, and ^^^:s^j(^^fff^^^^''^'' ^4J^^^^ 



extend them far forward. To the ^.^'^i^-/;^ ' ~My "Ht"^ 



safety also, it is necessary he el e- ""^ '?5^^^^^^C('^^^^^^t^^^^^^~'-/7? 

 vate his knee ; at the same time ^^"'.^^^^^^^^^^^^^'^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

 the general elevation of tlie whole '^^^^-^^^z-^ft'^^^/^^^^u^^^^^^^^^^^'^ 

 is operated by high withers, and obliqi e shoulders. 



5992. Th7-ee qualities are essentially necessary to make the trot useful. It ought to be extended, supple, 

 and even, or equal : these three qualities mutuclly depend upon each other, so that you cannot pass to 

 the supple trot, without having first worked upon the extended trot ; and you can never arrive at the 

 even and equal trot, without having practised ihe supple. The extended trot is that in which the horse 

 trots out without retaining himself, being quit? stra)ght and going directly forwards ; and this conse- 

 quently is the kind of trot with which you must begin. The supple trot is that in which the horse, at 

 every motion he makes, bends and plays his joints by the elasticity of the organs composing them ; as 

 those of his shoulders, his knees, and feet, which no colts or raw horses can execute, who have not had 

 their limbs suppled by exercise, and who always trot with a surprising stitTiiess and awkwardness, without 

 the least spring or play in their joints. The evin or equal trot is that in which the horse makes all his 

 limbs and joints move so equally and exactly, tl at his legs never cover more ground one than the other, 

 nor at one time more than another. To do this, the horse must necessarily unite and collect all his 

 strength, and if the expression maybe allowed, distribute it equally through all his joints. To go from 

 the extended trot to the supple, you must geitly and by degrees hold in your horse; and when by 

 exercise he has attained sufficient ease and sup )leness to manage his limbs readily, you must insensibly 

 hold him in still more and more, and by degrees you will lead him to the equal trot. 



5993. The manner of trotting a colt who has never been backed is as follows : put a plain snaflle in his 

 tnouth ; fita cavesson to his nose, to the ring of >vhich tie a longe of a reasonable length. Let a groom 

 hold this longe, who, having got at some distar ce from the colt, must standstill in the middle of the 

 Circle which the horse will make. Let another follow him with a long whip or chambrit;re in his hand. 

 The colt being alarmed, will be forced to go forward, and to turn within the length of the cord, the groom 

 must hold it tight in his hand; by this means le will draw in, or towards the centre, the head of the 

 colt, and his croupe will of consequence bewi:hout the circle. In working a young horse after this 

 manner do not press or hurry him. Let him nalk first, and afterwards put him to the trot. If you 

 neglect this method his legs will be embarrassed ; he will lean on one side, and be more upon one haunch 

 than the other ; the inner fore foot will strike against the outer one, and the pain which this will occasion 

 will drive him to seek some means of defence, and make him disobedient. If he refuses to trot, the 

 person who holds the chambrifire will animate 1 im by trotting him, or striking the ground with it. If 

 he offers to gallop instead of trotting, the groom must shake or jerk the cord that is tied to the cavesson, 

 and he will fall into his trot. {Berenger^s Art q_~ Horsetnanship, vol.i. ch. 4.) The value of this longing 

 in a circle is incalculable, inasmuch as it supples the shoulders, and gives them a greater extent of action. 

 It also increases the action of the whole limb downwards, and accustoms the horse to affect other move- 

 Inents, to be performed with an elevated hand. 



5994. The gallop is the swiftest natural pace of a horse, performed by reaches or leaps ; the two fore feet 

 being raised almost at the same time; and when these are in the air, and just ready to touch the ground 

 again, the two hind feet are lifted almost at one ;. In gallo])ing, the horse may lead with which fore leg 

 he pleases; the most usual way is that with the right, in which case the gallop is said to he just; but 

 whichsoever it be, the hind leg of the same side nust follow it next, which forms an even or equal gallop ; 

 otherwise the legs are said to be disunited, and tlie gallop to be false; to remedy which disorder, the rider 

 must stay the horse a little on the hand, and he p him on the si)ur on the contrary side to that on which 

 he is disunited. However, this rule has not been always strictly observed; for hunting horses have been 

 trained to lead indifferently with both legs, becai se it has been found, that a horse which has never been 

 suffered to gallop but with his right fore leg, has been worn out on one side, when he has been fresh and 

 sound on the other. In order to make a stop in a gallop straight forwards, the rider should carefully put 

 his horse together, without altering or disturbir g the appui, and throw his body back a little to accom- 

 pany the action, and to relieve the horse's shoulders. In doing this he should seize the time of making 

 the stop, keeping the hand and body quite still, axactly when he feels the horse put his fore feet to the 

 ground, in order that by raising them immediately by the next motion which he makes, he may be upon 





