THE INDIVIDUAL 103 



roll or side motion of the lateral gait into which saddle 

 horses degenerate. 



98. The pace, a rapid, two-beat gait distinguished from 

 the trot by the fact that the lateral fore and hind legs 

 act together. It is characterized by the readiness with 

 which pacers can get away at speed, more or less side 

 motion l(the so-called side wheeler), the absence of much 

 knee fold, and therefore the minimum of concussion, and 

 the necessity for smooth, hard footing and easy draft for 

 its execution (Fig. 44). This, hke the trot, is the gait 

 of the harness race horse. 



99. The amble, a lateral gait distinguished from the 

 pace by being slower and more broken in cadence. The 

 natural amble is the foundation for the so-called saddle 

 gaits, exclusive of walk, trot and canter. 



100. The rack, a fast, flashy, four-beat gait; well de- 

 scribed by the discarded term' "single foot" (Fig. 45). 

 The rack is the gait which distinguishes the five-gaited 

 saddle horse. While some display greater aptitude than 

 others, few horses will rack of their own accord, or on 

 the halter, but only when called upon to do so with 

 both hand and heel, being ridden well up to the curb. 

 It is preeminently a show gait characterized by con- 

 siderable action and in many instances quite a bit of 

 speed. 



101. The gallop, a fast three-beat gait in which two 

 diagonal legs act together, their one beat falling between 

 the successive beats of the other two legs, the hind one 

 of which makes the first beat of the three. With the third 

 and last beat, the horse is carried clear of the ground 

 and there is a period of silence broken by the contact of 

 the independent hind foot as it begins a new series of 

 strides. The two legs acting independently, the fore. 



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