CHAPTER VI 

 THE GAITS 



THE usual equitation regards the horse as an ani- 

 mated machine already adjusted to carrying the 

 rider's weight at various gaits. Means of securing 

 regularity of gait or of correcting irregularity belong 

 to the rational equitation, and are quite outside the 

 ordinary form. 



The horse has three natural, or regular, gaits 

 the walk, the trot, and the run. He has, besides, 

 two other irregular or artificial gaits, the amble 

 and the single-foot, which are not natural to the 

 animal, except where they are the result of special 

 breeding or training. 



The walk progresses by a succession of strides, 

 in which the four limbs move two by two, diago- 

 nally. It is, therefore, said to be in "diagonal 

 biped." In the fast walk, called by Newcastle, in 

 French, le pas releve, though the animal still keeps 

 at all times three feet on the ground, the diagonal 

 movement is no longer apparent. 



The means for making a standing horse change 

 to a walk are so various in the usual equitation, 

 that it is not possible to touch upon any but the 

 most commonly practiced, such as chirping with 

 the tongue, the moderate use of the whip, advanc- 



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