88 



THE HORSE. 



ACTION IN THE TRUE TROT. 



for the purposes of pleasure. Indeed, no one would mount one of 

 them from choice ; but when they possess good mouths, they are 

 pleasant enough to drive. In examining trotting action, regard 

 should be paid to the plane through which each limb passes, for if 

 this is not parallel with that of the median line of the body the 

 action is not true and smooth, and there is great risk of one limb 

 cutting the other. This is best seen by watching the trot from 

 behind as well as before, which gives an opportunity of investi- 

 gating the movements of both pairs of limbs. Every horse should 

 be so made that, when he stands, his fore canna bones should be 

 quite parallel; but in order to be so, as they stand closer together 

 than his elbows, they must form a slight angle with the arm at the 

 knee ; and hence, as this part is bent, there is always a slight ten- 

 dency to turn out the foot, the exaggerated form of which is called 

 "dishing." The observer will, therefore, do well to ascertain the 

 extent to which this should be carried, or he will be apt to con- 

 demn a perfect goer as a "disher," from finding that he turns out 

 his toes in bending the knee, though only in the trifling degree 

 ordained by nature. If, in bending by the hand the fore foot to 

 the elbow, tlie inner heel of the shoe is in contact with the outside 

 of the arm, there will not be too much turning out of the foot, and 



i 



