THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XVII, No. 199. JULY 1844. New Series, No. 31. 
LECTURES ON HORSES. 
By William Percivall, M.R.C.S., Veterinary Surgeon 
First Life Guards. 
THE TROT. 
TROT — a modification of our word tread — denotes in equitation 
the pace ranking in order, in point of speed, between a walk 
and a gallop ; neither slow like the one, nor swift like the other. 
Although the limbs in the trot, in reference to the fore and hind 
of the same side, have the same contrary or diagonal motion that 
they have in the walk, i. e. the off fore and near hind, and near 
fore and off hind, are both in action, as well as at rest, at the same 
intervals of time, yet is the trot not an accelerated walk, but a 
distinct pace by itself, as may be proved both by the animal’s 
manner of going, as well as by an analysis of the two paces. 
We have already seen that in the walk, although two limbs are 
in motion at one time, yet do the four succeed one another, in being 
lifted and grounded, in some such regular manner as may be re- 
presented to the mind by counting aloud, one, two, three, four. 
Not so, however, with the trot. No sooner are the limbs put into 
quick motion than the time is found too short for them to play to 
this fourfold step, and the consequence is, instead of reckoning 
four, we can hear but two beats ; those of the contrary fore and 
hind feet being synchronous. This will account for the spring or 
elasticity of movement of the trotting horse; as well as for the 
rough action of the runner — as the horse is called who trots after 
the manner of walking, instead of possessing the synchronous di- 
agonal movement, and who, as is well known, is commonly a bone - 
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