90 PACES OF THE HORSE. 



and continues its assistance while the weight becomes shifted 

 on to the left diagonals (Fig. 93) After that, the weight 

 falls on the right paij; of limbs (Fig. 94), and again on 

 the right diagonals (Fig 95). In heavy draught, we may 

 see that during the side supports there are never less than 

 three feet on the ground, and sometimes even four. In the 

 diagonal support, however, the two limbs may be alone on the 

 ground for a brief period, or only very slightly assisted by the 

 other legs. From this we may 'conclude that a fore and a 

 hind limb work better together when they are diagonals, than 

 when they are on the same side. This would support the 

 assumption that the horse would work at the trot, other 

 things being equal, with more mechanical advantage than at 

 the amble. 



In the representations of the walk, as shown in Figs. 89 

 to 95, and in Figs. 83 to 88, dotted lines are used to mark 

 the positions of the toe of one of the fore feet, so as to com- 

 pare It with that taken up by the toe of the hind foot of 

 the same side. We see from this, that in the long striding 

 walk, as depicted, the hind foot oversteps the print of the 

 fore one, nearly as much as it fails to reach it in the walk 

 during heavy draught. 



Figs. 96 to 106 give a series from photographs of the 

 normal walk. The movements of the off (or near) limbs, 

 in Figs. 96, 97, 98, 99 and 100 correspond more or less 

 accurately with those of the near (or off) limbs in, respectively, 

 Figs. loi, 102, 103, 104 and 105. 



The Canter. — The canter is, practically, a pace of 

 three time, in which the footfalls are, for instance: (i) off 

 hind (Figs. 107 and 114); (2) off fore and near hind 

 (Fig. 109), or off fore followed after a very short interval 

 by the near hind (Fig. 115); and (3) near fore (Figs, no 

 and 116), which may or may not be followed by a period 

 of suspension before the horse again brings down his off 

 hind (Figs. 112 and 122). The fore leg of the diagonal 

 support may come down a little before its hind fellow, 



