538 



THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



FIG. 231. Trail of FIG. 232. Trail of FIG. 233. Trail of 



the walk, im- the walk, pos- the walk, pos- 



prints super- terior imprints terior imprints 



in front of the behind the an- 



an terior (pas terior (pas de- 



super- 

 posed (pasjuge). 



Such, it can be seen, are 

 the predominant phenom- 

 ena which may be observed 

 in respect to the relation 

 of the imprints. The more 

 the gait approaches the am- 

 ble that is to say, the 

 synchronism of the lateral 

 beats the more the poste- 

 rior imprints will be in 

 front of the anterior ; con- 

 versely, the more it tends 

 towards the slow trot, in 

 which the diagonal beats 

 are synchronous, the more 

 will the relation of the 

 imprints be reversed (Fig. 

 233). 



Observation teaches us 

 that these modifications de- 

 pend entirely upon the con- 

 ditions in which the animal 

 is placed, upon the natural 

 or acquired preference of 

 such or such a rhythm ; in 

 a word, upon the kind of 

 equilibrium which he as- 

 sumes spontaneously, or to 

 which he is submitted by 

 those who direct him. This 

 is a point which M. Le- 

 noble du Teil has clearly 

 elucidated. 1 Let us give 

 an example. 



A horse walking in 

 perfect freedom carries the 

 neck relatively low, pro- 



shortened walk without the imprints ceasing to be superposed. All that is required for this is 

 not to change his primitive state of equilibrium. 



1 Lenoble du Teil, Cours the'orique d'<quitation, de dressage et d'attelage, p. 51 et suiv., 

 Paris, 1889, id. See, also, Revue des haras, Aout 15, 1889. 



