THE CHANGES IN THE GALLOP. 6 1 



every stride, which would be impossible if the 

 change began in the fore-legs, for by the time the 

 fore-legs are ready to make the change, the hlnd- 

 legs must be committed to a certain order so that 

 they may receive the weight. 



The horse cannot make the changes wholly 

 when in air, because that position is kept for too 

 short a time, and because the hind-legs must be 

 prepared to receive the weight in one or another 

 order of precedence before the animal leaves the 

 ground from the leading fore-leg. 



In all forms of the galloping pace (except in 

 the canter), the horse is ready, at the moment it 

 goes into air, or when it plants the fore-foot 

 from which it goes into air^ to make the change 

 of lead, — in the latter case completing the change 

 in one stride, in the cadence of the pace ; in the 

 former, taking two or more strides in which to 

 change, by which the cadence is more or less in- 

 terrupted. In the canter, by reason of the outer 

 fore-foot being planted before the inner hind-foot, 

 the change can be made in the cadence of the gait 

 only by beginning with the hind-legs ; but if the 

 fore-hand is sustained when the weight is first 

 taken in the stride by a hind-leg, the change can 

 be made by the other mode, in which two or more 

 strides are required. 



