THE EXTERNAL CONFORMATION OF THE HORSE. 
5 6 9 
which the animal gathers itself into a rather showy attitude and 
progresses in a somewhat elastic manner, the Spanish walk, a 
most majestic movement in which the animal progresses in a 
remarkably precise manner, especially as far as its front legs are 
concerned ; the Spanish trot bears a very strong resemblance to 
the walk, the majestic precise movements being very percepti¬ 
ble. There are many other high school movements which it is 
not necessary to mention here. 
Although we have divided the gaits into two groups, it must 
be remembered that a natural gait in one horse may be entirely 
artificial in another ; indeed we can hardly take up a live stock 
paper without reading of some converted trotter or pacer, as the 
case may be, while I have seen horses that did the Spanish walk 
or trot without an hour’s training. Some horses cannot walk in 
the ordinary sense of the term, nor can others gallop, but so 
many are born possessing the first named gaits, that we feel 
justified in calling them natural, while the high school move¬ 
ments are obtained through training in nearly all instances. 
In pursuing our investigations with regard to the gaits of 
the horse our chief aim has been to notice those movements 
which attract the attention of the rider or driver, and the more 
we inquire into this branch of our subject the more we are 
struck with the absolute necessity of selecting animals with the 
s g 
connect zvay of going if we desire to obtain the paying prices for 
our products when we offer them for sale. A gentleman from 
New York who has had a great deal of experience in the horse 
line in various capacities not only as an owner, but as a judge at 
the National horse show and other prominent exhibitions in the 
east, writes in reply to my inquiries that : “A paragon of con¬ 
formation and all the requisite virtues will bring $175—$J°o here 
without action ; one not half his equal in any particular , but with 
extra action will bring $700-$$,000. I have seen very poor indi¬ 
viduals bring the latter price more than oncel' At the horse 
show of the Columbian Exposition 1 was much interested to ob¬ 
serve the amount of stress exhibitors laid upon action in the 
draft classes as well as other breeds. 
