THE 
In the rack, the legs of the animal are used in lateral 
pairs, instead of, as in the trot, diagonal pairs. The same 
uncertainty Avith regard to precedence of the fore or hind 
foot-impacts prevails in this gait, as in the trot; in contra¬ 
distinction to the latter, priority is usually given in the 
rack to a hind-foot, this being so immediately followed 
by its lateral fore that, practically, they may be said to 
swing simultaneously. 
This being an awkward, and, to the rider, an exceed¬ 
ingly disagreeable method of locomotion, horses are, 
happily, rarely trained to its use ; when they are, it is for 
traction, in the expectation of gaining some slight advan¬ 
tage in point of time, over the trot. 
A profile silhouette picture of any phase of the rack 
would be indistinguishable from a phase of the trot. 
Series 41 is representative of an average stride during 
a moderately fast rate of speed. In 1 the horse has just 
alighted on O ; A is preparing to follow. 2 shows both 
legs nearly vertical ; and 4, a transit without support, ▲ 
somewhat elevated, and # skimming over the surface. 
In 5 the right laterals have assumed the functions of 
support, which on the evidence of the pasterns was com¬ 
RACK. 
menced by •. Two steps, or one-half the stride, are 
now finished ; the remaining phases lead to the discovery 
of the following two steps having been completed in 
practically the same manner. A diagram of this stride 
may be therefore shown as— 
A 
A 
A A 
A 
A 
A A 
A 
o— o— 
3 4 5 
678 
Taking into consideration that precedence is not in¬ 
variably given to a hind-foot ; a stride of the rack, for 
general purposes, may be represented as— 
i33 
