154 FORM AND ACTION. 



and the same action ; of which a sufficient proof presents itself in 

 the certainty that the horse can change from either of the gallops 

 into the other without art, without alteration of his centre of motion 

 or equipoise, or without interrupting the harmony of the moving 

 members, but merely by an increased or diminished effort of the 

 same action." 



Lecoq presents us with an interesting analysis — a thing difficult 

 in practice to obtain — of what he regards as the veritable, the 

 ordinary gallop. In a complete stride or step, " the body is sup- 

 ported, 1st, upon one hind foot; 2dly, upon two diagonal feet; 

 3dly, upon one fore foot; 4thly, it is without support — in the air." 

 " And this succession of tread is so conducted," adds Lecoq, " that 

 the prints made by the two diagonal feet appear in advance of 

 those of the opponent diagonal feet: the horse being said to 

 gallop with the right or with the left leg, according as the right 

 lateral biped or the left take the lead." 



Barring the broad and obvious distinction there exists between 

 the gallop and the canter, it is difficult, if not impracticable, as I 

 said j ust now, to draw any lines of division in the gallop farther 

 than as regards the rate at which the animal is going. At the 

 same time we must all admit that the gallop, as we witness its 

 performance by horses of different breeds and shapes, is a pace 

 admitting of many variations from any standard of galloping 

 action or rate of speed we may presume to set up. Lecoq's 

 marks of distinction of four, three, and two beats, will not, I think, 

 bear the scrutiny of practice ; and even if they did, the perform- 

 ance of any of the gradations of the pace, from the canter to the 

 gallop, will prove altogether different by the heavy or cart-horse 

 from what it would by the light and active or thorough-bred 

 horse. And again, of horses of the same breed, some are formed 

 peculiarly well for galloping ; whereas the make of others seems 

 better adapted for trotting. The racing gallop is evidently so far 

 a peculiar pace that no other description of horse can execute it 

 with the same perfection as the race-horse. With the dart-like 

 projecture of his limbs, lifted no more than sufficiently off the 

 ground to go clear of obstacles ; with his bending his back and 

 loins, and lowering himself, and laying himself out at his full 

 length along the ground ; and with the vast strides and springs 



