46 



HINTS ON HORSES 



Movements. 



The movements of a horse cannot be better 

 described than by the words of the Marquis of 

 Newcastle, who, in his book on " Horseman- 

 ship," * written in 1658, says — 



" I. A horse, in walking, has two of his feet 

 in the air, and two upon the ground, which 

 move otherways at the same time, one fore 

 and one hind foot, which is the movement of 

 a gentle trot. 



" 2. The trot. — The action of his legs in this 

 movement is two feet in the air, and two upon 

 the ground, which he moves crossways at 

 the same time ; one fore and hind foot across, 

 which is the movement of the walk : for the 

 movement of a horse's legs is the same in 

 walking as in trotting, where he moves them 

 crossways, two in the air across, and two 

 upon the ground at the same time ; so that 

 those which were across in the air at one 

 time, are afterwards in the same situation 

 upon the ground, and so vice versa. This is 

 the real movement of a horse's legs in trotting. 



* Chap. II. vol. i. p. 30. 



"3. The amble. — A horse in this action 

 moves both legs on the same side; for example, 

 he moves his two off-legs both before and 

 behind at the same time, while those of the 

 near side are at a stand; and when those 

 two which were in motion before touch the 

 ground, he moves the other side, viz. the 

 fore and hind leg on the near side, and the off 

 legs are then at rest. Hence a pacing horse 

 moves both legs on one side, and changes the 

 side at each motion, having both legs on the 

 same side in the air, and those of the other 

 side upon the ground at the same time, which 

 motion is the perfect amble. 



"4. The gallop. — Galloping t is a different 

 movement ; for in this pace a horse can lead 

 with which leg the rider pleases,* but the leg 

 on the same side must follow it ; I mean 

 when he gallops directly forward, and then 

 this is a true gallop. But that the leading 

 of the fore leg may be rightly understood, 

 which ought to be followed by the hind leg at 

 the same side, the leg moves in the following 



t It is obvious that the Duke of Newcastle uses the words 

 "gallop" and "run" in a sense different from that of 

 modern use, and that his " gallop " corresponds to our 

 " canter," and " run " to our " gallop.'' 



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