FORCES OF THE HORSE. 55 



volves upon it in this position. If he wishes 

 to move forward at a walk, he must transfer 

 that part of the weight, resting on the leg 

 which he moves first, to those that will re- 

 main fixed to the ground. It will be the 

 same thing in other paces, the transfer act- 

 ing from one diagonal to the other in the 

 trot, from the front to the rear, and recipro- 

 cally, in the gallop. We must not then con- 

 found the weight with the force ; the latter 

 determines, the former is subordinate to it. 

 It is by ca^rrying the weight from one ex- 

 tremity to the other that the force puts 

 them in motion, or makes them stationary. 

 The slowness or quickness of the transfers 

 fixes the different paces, which are correct 

 or false, even or uneven, according as these 

 transfers are executed with correctness or 

 irregularity. 



It is understood that this motive power 

 is subdivided ad infinitum^ since it is spread 



