162 



ANIMAL MECHANISM. 



portance ; we are led to suppose, by the extremely slight re- 

 actions of the hinder parts, that their action consists chiefly 

 in a forward propulsion, but with very slight impulsion of 

 the body in an upward direction. This agrees with the theory 

 somewhat generally admitted, by which the fore-legs would 

 have little to do in the normal pace except to support alter- 

 nately the fore part of the body, while to the hind limbs 

 would belong the propulsive action and the tractive force 

 developed by the animal. 



The piste of the walking pace, according to Vincent and 

 Goiffon, is analogous with that of the trot, except that it pre- 

 sents a shorter interval between the successive footprints on 

 the same side. 



Fig. 52. — Piste of the walking pace, after Vincent and Goiflfon. 



In the ordinary walk, this distance would be equal to the 

 height of the horse, measured at the withers. As in the trot, 

 the prints are covered at each pace ; those of the right foot 

 alternate perfectly with those of the left. This character of 

 the piste of the walking pace is, however, observed only under 













- 







3 D 





Fig. 53.— Piste of the amble, after Vincent and Goiffon : it differs from that 

 of the walking pace, only by the non-superposition of the footprints on 

 the same side. The hind foot is placed on the ground beyond the im- 

 pression of the fore foot. 



certain conditions of speed, and on level ground. On rising 

 ground the prints of the hind-feet are usually behind those of 

 the fore-feet ; in a descent, on the contrary, they may possibly 

 pass beyond them, which would give the piste of the walk 

 some resemblance to that of the amble. 



