14 THE HORSE. 



Figure 3 represents the moment of the left lateral 

 base, the complete pace is the separation of the two toes 

 on the left (ad). The sketch is at the instant when the 

 right anterior foot (c) has left the track (d) which will be 

 covered by that of the posterior (e) on the same side. 

 The one (c) is the lateral commencement of the support, 

 the other its termination. 



The trail will divide in two equal portions (da = d6), the 

 space limited by the lateral feet (ad) at the appui, of which 

 the distance between the toes often exceeds, by some 

 centimetres, the length of the body of the horse. 



The members are successively at the appui and the 

 support. A detailed study of the order in which these 

 oppositions operate is the next theme. 



The progression of a member is divisible into three 

 periods : — 



The elevation, support, setting down. 



At the elevation (c, fig. 3), the anterior foot quits 

 the ground, the limb being posteriorly bent. It thus 

 prepares itself to respond to the impulsion about to be 

 transmitted to it. (Permission must be accorded me 

 to pass from one figure to the other in order to offer 

 adequate explanation of the diverse positions of a foot 

 in progression). 



At the support, the foot is in the air (s, fig. 2), 

 its inferior portion at first maintaining a vertical position, 

 then the toe slightly rises, bending anteriorly, and the 

 foot lowers the heel (e, fig. 3), to attain to an oblique 

 flatness for setting down (d, fig. 3), as s will attain in 



C ( figl 2)l . , 1 



The toe, in the curve it describes, is rarely elevated 



above the fetlock of the opposite foot resting on the 



ground. The walk thus effected, the member arrives 



at the appui and follows, by three fresh periods, the 



progression of which the evolution has just been explained. 



The poised member -is said to beat the commencement, 



the middle or the conclusion of the appui, that is to 



say, the hoof resting on the ground and the member 



at first posteriorly inclined, next vertically, and finally 



anteriorly bent. Such is the evolution which takes place 



in the complete step of the anterior biped. 



The posterior biped follows the same periods, and 



