io8 



LEAPING 



no period of suspension (Figs. 178 and 179, and 182 and 

 183) between the removal from the ground of the fore leg 

 that supported the weight, and the putting down of the 

 hmd leg which first comes on the ground. 



From the halt, the horse would prepare to leap by- 

 making a rear (p. 75), and would project himself forwards 

 and upwards when he had raised his fore hand sufficiently. 

 From the walk, trot or amble, he would take off from 

 either fore leg, and would bring the hind legs under the 

 body as might be required. 



Fig. 179 Fig 180 



"Take Off" of Leap, with Hind Feei not brought well under 



THE Horse 



Period of Stride at which the Take Off is 

 Effected. — In the running leap from the canter or gallop, 

 we may regard the putting down of the leading fore leg (Fig. 

 181) as the commencement of the take off; for, at that instant, 

 the character of the pace is changed, and the *'take off^' 

 by the hind legs is made close to the foot-print of that leg. 

 We therefore see that during the stride of, say, from four to 



