THE CANTER. 



119 



three time, in which the footfalls are, for instance : (i) off 

 hind (Figs. 131 and 138) ; (2) off fore and near hind (Fig. 

 133), or off fore followed after a very short interval by 

 the near hind (Fig. 139) ; and (3) near fore (Figs. 134 

 and 140), which may or may not be followed by a period 

 of suspension before the horse again brings down his off 

 hind (Figs. 136 and 146). The fore leg of the diagonal 

 support may come down a little before its hind fellow, 

 as in Fig. 139. In the canter of the cart-horse shown in 

 Figs. 131 to 137, there is no period of suspension. 



As an exceptional case, we sometimes find that the 



Fig. 146. 

 Ca.nter with Suspensio.n (Hand Gallop) (continued). 



canter of the riding school, when very short and greatly 

 collected, is a pace of four time. 



In the canter, the fore leg which does not belong to 

 the diagonal support is called the leading fore leg. If, as in 

 Figs. 131 to 146, it be the near fore, the movement is said 

 to be a canter to the left ; if the off fore, as in Figs. 147 

 to 155, a canter to the right; the reason being that at 

 this pace, or at the gallop, the horse should lead with 

 the leg of the side to which he is being turned or circled. 

 If when leading with the off fore, for instance, he be 

 turned to the left, he will be liable to cross his legs 

 and fall. In the gallop or canter, a horse can cross a 

 fore leg only with the leading leg. We may observe that 

 the hind leg which, in due succession, alone supports the 

 weight of the body, is on the side opposite to the leading 



