The Fravicwork of the Horse, 45 



of gettiiig over the ground more rapidly ; for on com- 

 paring C with A^ it is evident that more ground has 

 been covered in the former than in the latter with the 

 same number of strides, which are therefore longer. 

 The advantage conferred by throwing the weight for- 

 ward is, therefore, that it tends to increase the speed ; 

 the disadvantages attendant on it are diminished sta- 

 bility and the rapid using up of the fore legs, for it is 

 on these alternately that the whole weight pivots, as it 

 w^ere, during the moments of vibration from each fixed 

 basis to the succeeding one, as explained above. 



When a horse steps short — that is to say, does not 

 attain to the track of the fore feet with the hinder ones 

 (Z>, fig. 2) — the exact contrary of tlie above takes place ; 

 the full lines connecting the diagonal feet overleap each 

 other constantly — the animal covers part of the same 

 ground twice in its successive strides; these, therefore, 

 are sliorter, and it requires a greater number of them to 

 cover a given space. On the other hand the stability 

 is more perfect, but the hind legs are unduly converted 

 into bearers, and sufier in consequence. That they 

 really are so is shown by the fact of the short stepping 

 taking place. They cannot act sufficiently as propel- 

 lers.* What is said here applies equally to canter or 

 gallop as to trot. It has been pointed out above that, 

 in the case of the horse covering its own footsteps 

 exactly and leaving only a single track, the fore legs 

 are always lifted somewhat sooner than the hind ones, 

 and not exactly simultaneously with them, which pro- 

 duces, as we have seen, the cadence peculiar to each 

 pace, audible to the ear. If the beat be regular, and, 

 the ground remaining the same, the intensity of the 

 sound alike for each footstep, the presumption is that 



* Horses that at first naturally overstep, will, after a certain amount 

 of work, come to step short ; the fore legs having suffered, they ease 

 them by throwing the weight on the hind ones. 



