THE GAITS IN PARTICULAR. 523 



and giving to it a peculiar appearance. We refer to the disassociation 

 of the diagonal beats. The terms are, however, employed differently 

 according to the conditions under which this disassociation manifests 



itself. 



Sometimes the synchronism of the diagonal contacts disappears 

 when the speed of the trot, already great, is carried to the extreme, as 

 is observed in the fast trot or flying trot. 



At other times this takes place if the ordinary trot be forced ever 

 so little. It is in this event that the word racking is to-day em- 

 ployed. The latter, therefore, should express more especially a dis- 

 union of the trot, which may have as its causes fatigue, weakness, or 

 wear and tear.^ 



Be that as it may, it will be found on serious consideration that it 

 is an effort of an identical nature which induces the horse, whatever he 

 may be, vigorous or exhausted, to break, disunite, disconnect his diag- 

 onal beats. He endeavors, in all cases, to accelerate his speed by longer 

 strides without passing into the gallop ; and he would surely pass into 

 the latter if he were not held back, or if the urging with the voice, the 

 whip, or the leg were continued. Hence, in our opinion, this variety 

 of trot is a transition, a mode of changing from the normal trot to the 

 gallop. As it accompanies a variable degree of velocity, it must be 

 interpreted favorably or unfavorably according to circumstances. 



Thus, it is not inadm'issible in a trotting-horse, if it serves as a 

 means of acceleration to excel his competitors ; but this horse would 

 be considered as being inferior to his rivals, if the disunion of the gait 

 did not make him superior to them in point of speed. Likewise a 

 horse which racks after a slower trot is much inferior to one which only 

 changes to this gait after moving at greater speed. 



It is seen that, in the presence of the broken trot, numerous dis- 

 tinctions must be made relative to the qualities of the animals. The 

 important point is to determine at what rate of speed the change takes 

 place, so as to ascertain wliether it is or is not a sign of fatigue and ex- 

 haustion. Young horses which are little accustomed to work frequently 

 rack, but training and exercise will usually cause the disappearance of 

 this defect. It is, on the contrary, irremediable in those in which 

 excessive labor or old age has deteriorated the forces and exhausted 

 the mechanism. 



The flying trot or fast trot is in most instances a broken trot, which 



» It is impossible to formulate the general trail oi racking, because it necessarily varies with 

 the speed. It resembles ordinarily that of the broken trot. 



