THE GAIT OF A TEOTTEU. 411 



legs, and yet glides, or dances along, with an ease that can scarcely be 

 described or even comprehended. The p erfectiou of the Abdallah gait is seen in 

 Ooldsmith Maid ; and the ease with which she will dance and glide along, her 

 body gently swaying to and fro, and pass over a mile in 3 :20 or better without 

 making half the display of great trotting action that many make in going 

 at 2:45, is marvellous to the eyes. The action of the pure Abdallah does not 

 seem to depend on great mass of muscle. He is the lithe, sinew}- fellow, and 

 his joints have a spring about them that gives him a light, elastic bound 

 at each step ; he seems to roll, or rock, gently from side to side on each of 

 his four feet, as if his legs Avere stiii" and springy; but does it with such ease 

 as to remind one of a herd of deer on the prairie when they come down 

 from their long leaps to their lofty rocking-trot, in which they seem to em- 

 ploy no muscle at all and scarcely bend their limbs. The Abdallah horse 

 is not one of long measure, or skeleton (his thigh and length from hip to 

 hock would, in a horse of 15 hands 3 inches in height, be about the Hamble- 

 tonian average of 23 — 39 inches), but his agility and fleetness are due, in 

 great measure, to the perfection of the materials of which he is made. 



In describing' the gait of Florida, whom this horse resembles in 

 conformation and gait more nearly than any other I know of, I wrote 

 as follows: 



To describe his gait is a task of some difficulty. It is a rapid gait — con- 

 sisting of rapid motions — does not appear to be far-reaching or dwelling, but 

 all the feet are picked up rapidly, thrown out from the body slightly side- 

 wise, and come down with a sharp, chopping stroke, much calling to mind 

 the motion of the prairie chicken, or otlier short-winged birds, in their flight 

 in a straight line from the beholder. Standing front or rear, you seem to see 

 all the feet in the air at once, but not at great elevation ; and the body rocks, 

 ■or sways, gently and verj^ slightly, and goes forward like an arrow from a 

 bow. The motion is sharp, quick and vigorous, but not violent or demonstra- 

 tive. It seems to involve more muscular action of the limbs and body than 

 the Abdallah gait, but not so great an expenditure of power or outlay of 

 strength as the Clay or Patchen gait. To the eye it is a motion that is full of 

 rapture and beauty. The horse seems to go on short wings, but with a won- 

 derfully steady motion, in a straight line, and with perfect poise of bodj-. 

 The Abdallah gait seems to be one that you can best see as it passes alongside 

 the beholder, or as it recedes gently in the distance while passing. The real 

 poetry of the Bellfounder gait must be seen while the animal is approaching 

 or going from you. It is then you can best see his stifles and elbows in true 

 line, and all four of his feet seemingly in the air at the same time, and you 

 can see the lines of his hocks and elbows, and those of his fore and hind feet, 

 all at the same time and in pei'fect line. When thus seen the trotter is a piece 

 of machinery rarely excelled in any department of mechanical skill. But no 

 pen can describe such motions, they must be seen and attended to with a 

 close and discriminating eye to be appreciated. 



The gait of Governor Sprague is not exactly like either of the above, 

 but occu23ies a place between the two. He does not spread his feet 



