18 JUDGING LIGHT HOUSES 



display, though in this immobility they show their renl 

 strength. 



22. Straight and Regular Action. As to the action of the 

 fore legs, it is straight away with continuous folding and 

 unfolding. In the action of the carriage horse there must 

 be some style and dash and high lifting of the feet, but 

 never enough of it to make the action unserviceable. At no 

 time is the fore leg held in poise as it does not dwell either 

 in flexion or extension. The foot snaps from the ground 

 and is then carried forward while the limb unfolds, as if 

 following the rim of a wheel. It seems to reach the ground 

 at the right stage of the unfolding so that it is not held in 

 suspense at any point along the line of descent. The feet 

 pass close and in a straight line so that there is no swaying 

 or dropping down of the fore hand with each step. The 

 hind foot leaves the ground with the same quick movement 

 and at no time is it allowed to hang back so as to give the 

 horse the appearance of not gathering himself well 

 together. 



23. The Driver's Sensation of Action. After all is writ- 

 ten that it is possible to write about the action of the car- 

 riage horse, there is something else that must go with it 

 which cannot be described with sufficient vividness to 

 make the novice appreciate it. It has something to do 

 with power and its connection between the animal and its 

 master seems to be the driving lines. As you sit behind 

 the horse of true carriage action and conduct you feel 

 your proximity to a powerful mechanism that is under- 

 going a test of its minutest parts. If anything fails every- 

 thing will be demoralized but it is the feeling of strength 

 and power in the animal that allays unnecessary fears. 



Without leaving this feature connected with the carriage 

 horse let us study its relation to the trotter. Substance and 

 strength in the carriage horse gives momentum to the occu- 

 pants of the somewhat cumbersome carriage, while the 

 trotter loses these for speed and stamina. Between the 

 trotter and its driver the feeling is that of flight instead 

 of power in motion. The difference in the feeling result- 



