THE PONT. 



overcome, no other of any sort or kind remains to impede a 

 rapid and safe descent." 



The action of the horse's legs is now generally understood ; 

 the common error being that, in walking, the animal moves 

 both the legs on the same side. The delusion arises in this 

 way. Suppose the horse to start a walk by- putting forward 

 its left hind leg. This having been advanced and placed on the 

 ground, the right fore leg is next raised and advanced, then the 

 right hind leg, and lastly the left fore leg follows, so that in 

 passing a horse the two legs appear to move together on the 

 same side. In trotting, the horse moves his legs dia^nally ; 

 while in galloping it adopts three different modes of locomotion. 

 In the canter its four legs reach the ground in succession — ^the 

 left hind foot first, then the right hind foot, then the left fore, 

 and lastly the right fore. In what is known as the gallop of 

 " three beasts," the horse moves first the right and left hind 

 leg, the right hiad leg and the left fore leg follow next, the 

 right fore leg moving last. In leaping, the horse raises the fore 

 legs from the ground, and projects the body upward and for- 

 ward by the hind legs alone. 



WILD HORSES AMD WHJ) RIDEES. 



