1 66 ROAD, PARK, AND SCHOOL 



resulted from the vigorous action of the stronger 

 hind-quarters preventing the weaker forehand from 

 maintaining the balanced action of the walk, the 

 trot, the amble, or the rack. 



I have said that the gallop is the pace in which 

 the horse can move with the greatest rapidity, and 

 I shall prove it by showing how and why the horse 

 ' breaks ' when pushed beyond its speed in the trot. 



We have seen that in the trot the horse springs 

 from one pair of diagonal legs to the other pair ; 

 and it is when these diagonally disposed legs work 

 exactly together that the pace is perfect. If, when 

 the horse be trotting, a faster rate be demanded, the 

 impulse will come from the hind-quarters. 



Should this impulse be so great that the weights 

 are thrown forward and fix the forehand, the animal 

 will fall, if the hind-leg that is being moved with 

 the fore-leg which receives the increased impulse be 

 not carried beyond the spot it should take in the 

 trot, under the centre of gravity. The weights are 

 then thrown back, the forehand rises, the second 

 hind-leg is planted as the horse gravitates to the 

 ground, and, at the same time, or after this second 

 hind-leg is planted (depending upon the extended 

 state of the horse) the fore-leg that has not been 

 hampered by the shifting of the weights comes to 

 the ground, and then is planted the fore-leg which 



