XX OCCIDENT AT SPEED. 



terns to the stifle the front part of the leg forms a straight line. Tlie 

 right fore foot is thrust forward so that there is only a slight bend at 

 the knee, and the toe is within eight inches^ of the surface. The 

 feet, on the same side of the body, are about ten feet apart, the front 

 being across the line between spaces 11 and 12, the hind in the cen- 

 tre of space 6. The left fore foot is in space 9, twenty inches from 

 the ground, four inches higher than the knee, the cannon is horizon- 

 tal, the a)'m forming an angle rather more acute than a right angle. 

 The left hind foot is within four inches of the gi'ound and under the 

 elevated fore foot. This figure is nearer the artist's conception of the 

 fast trotter in motion than any of the others, but the next is a start- 

 ling*innovation on previous opinions. 



The first picture of a trotter at speed, which was engi'aved from a 

 photogra})h taken by Muy bridge, was that of Occident (see cut), and 

 the fifth of this series is nearly the same. In that of Occident the feet 

 had come in contact with the gi'ound ; in this the hind foot is almost 

 touching, the fore being a trifle higher. At first sight it does not con- 

 vey the least idea of speed, or even motion, and when first published 

 elicited ridicule from nearly every one who fancied they had a perfect 

 knowledge of the horse. Had those of the gallop preceded the trot, 

 there would have been still more exuberant jollity, but by the time 

 they made their appearance people had given some thought to the 

 subject, and though many are still sceptical, a man of any intelli- 

 gence who has examined the representations, must acknowledge their 

 truth. 



While the feet on opposite sides touch the ground at so nearly the 

 same time that the sounds of the contact is merged into one in the 

 square trotter, the hind foot probably touches first. The other hind 

 foot is thrust backward five feet behind it, and is elevated fourteen 

 inches. The raised fore foot nearly touches the breast, the knee 

 folded so as to make an acute angle of the arm and cannon, the bend- 

 ing of the pastern giving the foot the greater elevation. In considering 

 the effects of the weights, this is one of the most important positions 

 to study, as the flexors have performed their duty, and from thence 

 the contra-acting muscle will carry it forward. The sixth figui'e on 

 the card — the fourth which I have taken to illustrate the stride — ^is 



