The Framczvorh of tJic Horse. 43 



For the sake of simplicity we have hitherto proceeded 

 on the supposition that each of the two diagonal legs 

 (of ever}^ pair) is lifted and set down simultaneously. 

 This is not the case. One hears distinctly four beats in 

 the case of walking and trotting ; and two, three, or four 

 in cantering and galloping, according as the horse's 

 weight is adjusted in the latter movements. Of the two 

 legs acting in concert, the fore one is lifted and set down 

 somewhat sooner than the hind one ; w^ere this not the 

 case, a horse could never tread in his own hoof-marks, 

 much less beyond them, as we shall presently show to 

 be the case. A musician could easily express on paper, 

 by the appropriate notes, the cadence not only of each 

 particular pace, but for each individual horse ;* and 

 good judges are well aware that irregularity of beat 

 points out something amiss in one or more legs. The 

 ear often conveys to us valuable impressions on this 

 very point that totally escape the eye even of the most 

 practiced. We all have heard of blind men being good 

 judges of horse-flesh. t 



Having now seen the effect of action on equilibrium, 

 where such exists, it is necessary to point out its effects 

 and consequences in cases where it does not exist. In 

 the diagrams A^ B^ fig. 2, the horse is made to tread 

 with the hind foot into the track of the fore one (this 

 is, in fact, a consequence of equilibrium) ; but we see 

 very many horses bring their hind feet (in all paces) 

 more or less ahead of the track or print of the fore ones ; 

 indeed, almost all young and untrained horses will do 

 so, and, moreover, many whose work requires them to 

 act thus — as, for instance, race-horses. This is best 



* In the " Sonnambula" Bellini has imitated very successfully the 

 beat of several post-horses trotting and galloping just before Rudolfo 

 enters on the scene, 



t The theory of equilibrium, as set forth above, is not affected in 

 the Slightest degree by this want of perfect coincidence in the move- 

 ment of the legs. 



