ACTION AT THE TROT. 



together than wide. Any tendency to stumble or knuckle 

 over behind, is a serious fault, unless it be solely due to bad 

 shoeing. If the horse be given a long rein, he should carry 

 his head rather low and well advanced, and should be able to 

 walk at the rate of about five miles an hour. 



The Trot. — At the fast trot, the fore leg should be 

 brought to the front with a straight knee, the foot appearing 

 as if suspended for a brief moment before being placed down. 

 The knee should not be raised higher than what would be 

 sufficient to make the fore-arm horizontal, or not quite so 

 much. The hind legs should be carried well forward, and 

 should work in perfect unison with the fore limbs. Nothing 

 looks worse than to see a horse trotting high in front, and 

 dragging his hind legs along the ground. As I have already 

 remarked, with reference to the walk, there should be no 

 " dishino- " or crossing" of the lees, so that, when viewed from 

 behind, a clear space will be preserved between the near pair 

 and the off pair of legs. I may explain that a horse " dishes " 

 with a fore leg when he throws the foot outwards as he raises 

 it off the ground. In fast trotting, mobility of the shoulder 

 (which largely depends on the possession of a long neck, see 

 p. i8i) is a point of the utmost consequence. Hence 

 American breeders employ, as much as circumstances will allow, 

 thoroughbreds for the production of their matchless trotters. 

 In the trot, the head should be carried much higher than in 

 the walk ; as the limb has to be raised to a greater extent. 



The Gallop. — In order that the animal may utilise to the 

 utmost his forward reach in the gallop, his knees should be 

 kept as straight as possible when his fore legs are being 

 extended to the front. In fact, the straighter they are at that 

 moment, the more perfect will be the front action on level 



