THE TROT. 
The trot is a system of progress in which each pair of 
diagonal feet are alternately lifted with more or less 
synchronism, thrust forward, and again placed on the 
ground ; the body of the animal making a transit, without 
support, twice during each stride. 
In this gait there is no inflexible rule as to whether 
a fore-foot or its diagonal hind-foot, in their respective 
steps, is first in being lifted and placed on the ground ; 
it is, however, usual for a horse, especially when trotting 
fast, to give precedence to a fore-foot. 
A good example of this gait is given in series 28-—a stride 
by a celebrated trotter, photographed at Palo Alto in 1879. 
In phase 1 • is about to follow the example of 
the other three feet, and will presently leave the horse 
without support until 4, when A is found preparing for 
immediate contact, to be followed without much delay 
by O. 5 and 6 show the right fore-leg in a nearly 
vertical position, with A elevated nearly to its shoulder. 
A and O render combined support until a period that 
occurs between 8 and 9, when A is lifted, and leaves O 
exercising its final propulsive force. Two steps, or one- 
half of the stride, have now been made. The remaining 
two steps are executed in practically the same manner; 
the stride is completed in 18, where the limbs occupy 
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