THE SADDLE BREEDS OF HORSES 129 
in contradistinction to the gallop, and the American saddle 
horse seems almost to do it naturally. 
144. The slow gait may be any one of three, that is, 
(1) the running-walk; (2) the fox-trot; (3) the stepping- 
pace. 
(1) The running-walk. — This is the intermediate de- 
velopment between the flat-footed walk and the rack. The 
motion, rhythm and recovery are identically the same. It 
is a “ single-foot,” just as are the flat-footed walk and the 
rack. But the tempo is greater than in the walk, and less 
than in the rack. It is much the most graceful of the slow 
gaits, and the easiest on both horse and rider. At this 
gait a horse can cover mile after mile, up and down hill, 
without distressing either himself or his rider. A speed 
of six to eight miles an hour is not unusual, and occasionally 
a “running-walker ’’ is found that can do nine miles or 
better. Not all members of this breed can be taught to 
go the running-walk well, and for that reason it has been 
decreed that either the fox-trot or the stepping-pace may 
be accepted as a substitute. 
(2) The fox-trot.— This may be best designated as a 
mongrel gait. It is not so graceful nor so easy as either 
the running-walk or the stepping-pace. At this gait, the 
horse goes a jog-trot in front and paces behind. 
(3) The stepping-pace is nearly as graceful a gait as the 
running-walk, and when well done is quite as easy on the 
rider and only slightly harder on the horse. It is not 
the side-swiping pace of the harness horse. At this gait 
the horse is going the running-walk with his fore-feet and 
pacing with his hind-feet. 
145. The rack. — This gait is the highest development 
of the flat-footed walk. It is nothing but the flat-footed 
walk developed to high speed. The rhythm and motion 
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