THE INDIVIDUAL 



99 



96. Gait. A gait is a particular way of going charac- 

 terized by definite and distinctive features, regularly exe- 

 cuted. The gaits are : 



96. The walk, a slow, flat-footed, four-beat gait, which 

 is one of the most useful if properly executed with snap 

 and animation, whether in harness or under saddle. The 

 walk should not be considered useful simply to afford the 



FIG. 41. A trotter at speed, showing the reach or extension of the 

 stride characteristic of this gait. 



horse an opportunity to rest, but should be regarded as a 

 distinct form of locomotion, with as definite a purpose as 

 any other gait which the horse goes. 



97. The trot, a rapid, two-beat gait in which the di- 

 agonal fore and hind legs act together. There are three 

 varieties of trot, viz. : the fast stepping trot, characterized 

 by the length of stride and rapidity with which the indi- 

 vidual strides are taken and constituting the gait of the har- 



