222 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. 



be immediately followed by the leading or 

 right fore-foot which will make the second beat. 

 The hind-legs are moved in a similar way, the 

 left hind-foot making the third beat, and the 

 right one the fourth. These beats vary in ac- 

 cordance with the adjustment of the horse's 

 weight, but when he gallops true and regular, 

 as in the canter, the hoof-beats distinctly mark 

 one, two, three, four. In the rapid gallop the 

 hoof-beats sound in the time of one-two, or one- 

 two-three. 



In leading with the left foot, the left side of 

 the horse will be advanced slightly and the left 

 leg be carried somewhat beyond the right, the 

 action being just the reverse of that above de- 

 scribed when leading with the right leg. In 

 this case the left side is termed the " leading 

 side." The hoof-beats of horses in the trot 

 and gallop have been admirably rendered by 

 Bellini, in the opera of " Somnambula," just 

 previous to the entrance of Rudolfo upon the 

 stage. There are three kinds of gallop, namely, 

 the rapid or racing, the hand gallop, and the 

 canter. 



The canter is a slow form of galloping, which 

 the horse performs by throwing his weight 

 chiefly upon his hind-legs, the fore ones be- 

 ing used more as supports than as propellers. 



