158 ROAD, PARK, AND SCHOOL 



CHAPTER XVII L THE PACES OF THE HORSE. 



THE WALK THE TROT THE GALLOP. 



SHOULD it be asked why I have undertaken to write 

 upon a subject that has been so carefully treated 

 by Dr. Stillman in The Horse in Motion, and ex- 

 plained with such confidence by Professor Marey, 

 I shall answer that, by the first, there was no notice 

 taken of the ordinary gallop of three beats ; that, by 

 the second, the walk was not properly represented, 

 and that, moreover, I have some original obser- 

 vations to offer. 



The Walk is a pace of four flat beats, each foot 

 being planted in regular order. If we are looking 

 at the walking horse at the moment the right fore- 

 foot comes to the ground, we shall find that the left 

 hind-foot is next planted, then the left fore-foot is 

 brought to the ground, and finally the right hind- 

 foot, when the right fore-foot will lead again in a 

 new stride. 



During this movement, the horse has taken the 

 weight, first, upon three feet (the two fore-feet and 



