CHAPTER IV.

MECHANISM OF THE GAITS.

_The Walk._—This is a movement of four beats, and is a pace in which all the legs move, respectively, one after the other. If, for instance, the left fore leads, the sequence is:

1. Left fore. 2. Right hind. 3. Right fore. 4. Left hind.

If the near hind begins, it will be:

1. Left hind. 2. Left fore. 3. Right hind. 4. Right fore.

Each foot comes to the ground after the one that precedes it at an interval of about half the time occupied taking one step. The result of this is that we have the following order of supports:

1. Right laterals (right fore and right hind). 2. Right diagonals (right fore and left hind). 3. Left laterals. 4. Left diagonals.

As a rule, a horse begins the walk with a fore leg. (_Hayes._)

_The Trot._—This is a movement of two beats. The diagonal feet are on the ground at the same time. The order of supports is:

1. Right diagonal. 2. Moment of suspension. 3. Left diagonal. 4. Moment of suspension.

_The Pace._—This is a movement of two beats, like the trot, except the support is by the laterals instead of the diagonals. The order of supports is:

1. Right lateral. 2. Moment of suspension. 3. Left lateral. 4. Moment of suspension.

_The Gallop._—The gallop is an unsymmetrical gait of three beats. It is called unsymmetrical because the two front legs make dissimilar movements, likewise the two hind. Two different combinations take place, which are called “gallop right” and “gallop left.” The moment of taking each new point of support is called a beat.

In the gallop right the points of support are taken in the following order:

1. Left hind. 2. Left diagonal (left front, right hind). 3. Right front. 4. Moment of suspension.

The gallop left is as follows:

1. Right hind. 2. Right diagonal (right front, left hind). 3. Left front. 4. Moment of suspension.

A horse galloping right, for instance, seems to have the right legs always in front of the left. The rider can tell by seeing if the right shoulder is further advanced than the left. If the horse gallops right in front and left behind, the rider can feel an unusual stiff movement beneath him.