24 



THE HORSE. 



foot in opposition and the left fore-foot (2) which strike 

 at about the same moment (left diagonal base). Finally, 

 the third battue is produced by the right fore-foot, upon 

 which the horse gallops (3). This causes elasticity, 

 and the body, thus propelled to the front, becomes 

 suspended in order to recommence three fresh trails. 



The first battue of the succeeding foot is struck by the 

 left posterior member. 



The trail, in the rapid gallop, shows itself well in 

 advance of the last trace of the right anterior foot, the 

 effort of which has determined the suspension of the four 

 members. The less violent this effort, so much the more 

 are the trails near one another. 



In the canter, the hind foot gains very little ground, 

 and attains to a position in the rear of its opposite diagonal, 

 which has determined the side of the gait. Certain bas- 

 reliefs in the Parthenon provide examples. 



In the gallop with four times, the horse, having an 

 exaggerated rasse?nbler (members under the body), 

 throwing its weight forward to the detriment of the hind 

 quarters, has a more elevated effort ; the members cause 

 four beats to be audible and cover little ground. The 

 gait is shortened, the result of training. 



The racing gallop is composed of bounds, in which 

 the succession of trails, under the body, 

 occur very rapidly and almost simul- 

 taneously in pairs. The space covered 

 may be estimated by examining the 

 prints upon the soil, which are never 



S~<{faL*t\ V\\\'\ on the same perpendicular in the track 

 \Jv \ \Vu of the medial plane of the horse (fig. 10), 

 but always very close to this line. 



I have said that the feet fall almost 

 at the same time in pairs, but each 

 precedes the foot opposite to the side 

 on which the gait indicates itself. The 

 members only marking two battues, a 

 little dragged, appear to rebound upon 

 their trails and the body becomes sus- 

 pended. To the eye of the spectator, 

 the extremities appear to rise at the same time and to fall 

 likewise. It is in this that the full gallop approaches the 

 leap. 



Fig. 10. 



