LECTURES ON HORSES. 
127 
I have been describing, and likewise in those that, through any 
disturbance or derangement in action, are rendered irregular or 
discordant — as, when in the gallop, the fore and hind legs of 
opposite sides are in advance. So far as respects the common 
paces of walking and trotting, this appears to be the analysis of 
progression, the priority and order of motion of the animal’s four 
legs : acceleration of movement, so long as the same paces be 
preserved, will not alter this order of succession, though it may 
quicken it to that degree that time is not given for one foot to 
reach the ground before the other is lifted off, and the conse- 
quence is, that two, three, and even all four feet may possibly be 
in the air at one and the same time. In the ordinary walk of the 
horse, two feet are in the air at once, though they are not grounded 
simultaneously ; there being, as Sir W. Hope has well described 
it, a pretty regular beat in the time of lifting and grounding the 
feet, in a true or good walk of one, two, three, four. Both fore 
feet and both hind feet moving, in respect to each other, alternately, 
it follows that no sooner is one fore foot lifted up than a hind foot 
is put in its place, and that these successions are in regular alter- 
nation, if we except the very first step the animal takes with his 
fore foot ; that not being followed up by the hind one of the same 
side until the remaining two feet have moved. 
Richard Lawrence, often an elegant, but not always a practical 
writer, though he inclines to Borelli’s notion of the hind leg being 
the first set in motion, nevertheless commences his description of 
the horse’s “ walk” by the advancement of one fore leg, and that 
being placed on the ground ; “ this action being completed, the 
off hind leg is elevated and advanced,” &c. It must be a very 
slow walk indeed — such a walk as a horse takes while he is graz- 
ing or seeking after food, or as when he most painfully or reluct- 
antly follows the man leading him — that allows the setting down 
or completion of action of the fore leg before the hind one is lifted. 
It is quite erroneous to imagine that, “ during the walk, the ani- 
mal is always supported by a triangular position of three legs; 
namely, two fore legs and one hind, or one fore and two hincl legs, 
alternately.” Progression would be tardy indeed conducted upon 
such a principle as this, neither would there be that spring or lift 
in the walk which is requisite to constitute a good or a fast one. 
But two feet rest upon the ground in the ordinary walk ; and 
however instable this might render the centre of gravity, the in- 
tervals are so short between the alternate transfers of gravity from 
the two feet on the ground to the two off the ground, that all in- 
stability is lost in the impetus of progression. Were the fore foot 
set down before the hind was raised, the step could not be pro- 
longed beyond the abstract extension of the fore limb ; whereas, 
