572 THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



^"jpj Curnieu 1 and of M. Duhousset, 2 as well as with the 



o s -I results deduced from the instantaneous photographs 



% from Lissa. 



o 



H The anterior members are the first to arrive on the 



B ground, almost simultaneously and very close to each 



| other (Fig. 265), which is also shown by the trail 



| (Fig. 267). If, however, the horse, before leaping, 



S should gallop upon the right, for example, it is the 



J anterior right which touches the ground first, and vice 



| versa. It is less frequent to see him continue the gallop 



g upon the other foot, although this disunion in the first 



I step after completing the leap is sometimes observed. 

 J Scarcely has the anterior biped touched the ground, 



J when it is immediately raised by a forcible effort, to 



gi 3 allow space for the two hind- feet, which effect their 



S I I contact in the same order as their congeners, marking 



b ^ 5 their imprints a little in advance and very close to the 



I 2 | latter (Fig. 267). 





2 1 | The descent being completed, the animal takes 



J .S several strides of the gallop, after which he can stop 



| 8 a or continue his gait. 



I Nevertheless, it is not always thus. Either because 

 ^ | * the impulsion has been too energetic or because the 

 _JJH j jj fore-limbs are poorly adapted for the reception of the 

 H I body, from over-exertion, weakness, defective confor- 

 cf 5 mation, or improper training, a serious fall is some- 

 | times produced. The horse, by virtue of the speed 

 I acquired flexing the knees, executes a complete somer- 

 % set and dismounts his rider, who is thrown away sev- 

 eral metres. Nor is it very rare in such a case to see 

 one of the two unable to rise any more. 

 Jj If the impulsion by the posterior members has 

 i been insufficient, the accidents assume a different char- 

 's acter : sometimes the hind-members touch the superior 

 jg part of the obstacle, which is a frequent cause of falls ; 

 o sometimes the fore-members alone clear it, and the 

 5 animal remains suspended upon the inferior face of 

 53 the abdomen or the chest, without being able to dis- 

 engage himself. 



1 De Curnieu, Lecons de science hippique, t. i. p. 166. 



2 Duhousset, Le cheval, p. 33. 



