VI 



It may be considered* out of place, in these brief introductory- 

 remarks, to allude to a work of such magnitude as the photogi*aph- 

 ing of animals in motion, the importance of the subject demand- 

 ing a far more extended elucidation. Still, I cannot let the oppor- 

 tunity escape of reference, however brief, or pass by without proj^er 

 acknowledgment of the assistance obtained from a study of the 

 photographs. Although I had a fair knowledge of the action of the 

 fast trotter, I was as totally ignorant of that of the race-horse as if 

 I had never seen one gallop. Even the three cuts which are given 

 in the first chapter of the appendix pi'ove that former ideas of the 

 manner in which a horse ran were as erroneous as could be, and por- 

 tions of the stride are fully as grotesque as the representations given. 

 A comparison of the cuts of parts of the racing and trotting stride 

 will show the great difference there is in the two gaits, and even the i 

 short essay accompanying them will be found of some service. At] 

 all events, they show how much greater the strain is on the fore le^ 

 of the race-horse, irrespective of the weight on his back, and th/ 

 contrast between "the last effort" and "the initial" sufficient 

 account for an ailing fore leg being so much worse for the race-hoi^e 

 than the trotter. / 



The appendix is not as full as I thought it would be whenj-the 

 opening chapters were written, nearly two years ago. Then I/fan- 

 cied that I had obtained a clew which would lead to satisfactory 

 explanations of the cause for weight applied on the outside ^f the 

 foot exerting such a potent influence on the fast-trotting action. The 

 more study I gave it the more puzzling it became, and at Tresent 

 can only state that I am not capable of giving reasons whicj are at 

 all satisfactory to myself, and conjectures would not be wfrth the 

 space given or the time of the reader. It may be that futuiB exper- 

 iments and closer observation _ will lead to the discovery cf a key, 

 or it is quite as likely that some trivial circumstance will jtove the 

 guide to escape from the labyrinth, and chance, as it has doiie hereto- 

 fore, lead to the correct solution of the problem. Awaiting develop- 

 ments, I can only offer the excuses given, and trust that the apology 

 will be accepted. 



Before concluding, I miist again refer to the want of cmnection 



