STRIDE OF THE RACE-HORSE. 87 



action in tlie fast gallop, and from these I am satisfied that the cause 

 of injury to the tendons is the immense strain on the forelegs conse- 

 quent on the body being carried for such a long distance while sup- 

 ported by only one leg. The forefoot comes to the ground at its 

 furthest extension, and immediately after the other three are ele- 

 vated, so that the whole of the weight of horse and rider is thrown 

 on this leg. When it sustains the weight directly over it, then the 

 pastern is so much bent that the fetlock touches the ground. With 

 a high heel it is evident that the pastem must have a more acute 

 angle, and the foot strikes the ground in an unnatural position. 

 There must be such an immense strain when the leg, unaided, has to 

 sustain the weight of the horse and the rider, and when added to 

 these the velocity with which the animal moves, a very little addi- 

 tional cause may be the means of sevei-e injury. A wrong placing 

 of the foot, so that the other strikes it when passing, especially 

 on the turn of the track, and surely a hampering of the natui-al 

 motion of the horn, and the abrogation of the elasticity of the frog, 

 may be a potent aiixilliary in the breaking down of race-horses. 

 Fortunately, after the body is hurled through the air, the first con- 

 tact with the ground is made with one of the hind feet, then the 

 other touches, in a twenty-two feet stride, thirty-eight inches in ad- 

 vance, both of these being on the ground at the same time. The first 

 fore-foot to strike is ninety inches further along than where the 

 second hind foot was placed, and the second fore foot fifty-two inches 

 in the lead of the other. The stride of a race-horse, viz. : from where 

 one of the fore feet left the ground until it strikes again — has a dif- 

 ferent movement of the legs all through. In the square trotter, such 

 as Occident and Abe Edginton, there are identical movements twice 

 in the same stride. The off hind foot and the near front one touch 

 the ground nearly together, probably the hind foot a little the quick- 

 est, and that does not leave the ground until after the foi'e foot is 

 elevated a few inches. Thus there are two times during the stride 

 of the trotter when the body is unsuppoi'ted, and once in the race- 

 horse, the latter being in the air the ninety inches which marks the 

 length of the bound. The fore and hind foot both sustain the trotter, 

 excepting when the former is raised just previous to the last efibrt of 

 he hind leg to send the body along. 



