NATURAL HISTORY. 145 



whilst he keeps up his shoulders, the rider is much 

 jolted. The same thing happens when the horse ex- 

 tends his hind leg too much, and rests it almost in 

 the same place in wlach he rested his fore foot. Hors- 

 es with short bodies are subject to this fault. Those 

 which cross their legs or strike them against each other, 

 are not sure footed. Those again whose bodies are 

 long, are the most easy for the rider, because he is at 

 a Greater distance from the two centers of motion, the 



. 



shoulders and haunches, and is therefore less sensible 

 of the motion and joking. 



The usual method of walking among quadrupeds, 

 is to lift up one of the fore legs and one of the hind 

 legs together. Whilst the right fore leg is in motion, 

 the left hind leg follows and advances at the same 

 time, and this step being made, the left fore leg con- 

 jointly with the right hind leg in its turn, and so on. 

 As their bodies are supported upon four points of sup- 

 port, which form a long square, the easiest manner of 

 moving for them, is to change two of them at once in 

 a diagonal line, in such a manner, that the centre of 

 gravity of the body of the animal may move but lit- 

 tle, and rest always in the direction of the two points 

 which are not in motion. In the three natural paces 

 of the horse, the walk, the trot, and the gallop, this 

 rule of motion is always observed, but with some dif- 

 ference. In the walk, there are four times in the 

 movement ; if the right fore leg moves first, the left 

 hind leg follows the moment after, then the left fore 

 leg moves forward in turn, to be followed the instant 

 after by the right hind leg. Thus the right fore foot 

 rests, on the ground first, the left bind foot next ; 

 then the left fore foot rests, and, lastly, the right hind 

 foot, which makes a movement of four times, and at 



