146 NATURAL HISTORY. 



trot should be short ; but, be it ever so short, this re-" 

 sistance is sufficient to make this pace more uneasy 

 than walking and galloping ; because in walking, the 

 motion is more easy, gentle, and the resistance less; 

 and in galloping there is scarcely any horizontal resist- 

 ance, which is the only one inconvenient for the rider. 

 Walking, trotting, and galloping, are the most 

 usual natural paces. Some horses, ho\ever, have 

 another natural pace, called the amble, winch is very 

 different from the three others, and at the first glance 

 appears contrary to the laws of mechanics. In this 

 pace the foot of the horse grazes the ground still more 

 than in walking, and each. step is much longer. But 

 tjhe most remarkable circumstance is, that the two legs 

 on the same side, set off at the same time to make a 

 step,, and afterwards the two other legs move at the 

 same time to make another, so that each side of the 

 tody alternately is without support, and there is no 

 equilibrium maintained between the one or the other. 

 It is therefore only from his almost grazing the earth, 

 an.d the quick alternate motion, that he- can support 

 himself in this pace. There is in the amble, as well 

 a% in the trot, but two times in the motion; ;u;d ; ( !1 

 the difference is, that in the trot the two legs which 

 go. together . are opposite, and in a diagonal line; in- 

 stead of which, in the amble, the It-gs on the sar.itt 

 side go together. This pace is very easy for the rider, 

 as.it has not the jolting of the trot, which is occasion--' 

 ed from th, resistance the fore leg meets with whei> 

 the hind leg rises. Because in the amble, the fore 

 leg ,riss, at the same time with the hind kg on the 

 same sides: instead, of which, in trotting, the foreleg 

 n the saan.e side rests and assists. the impulse during 

 ihts whole time.. that: the- hind. leg. is in 



