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Read Ebook: The Collected Works in Verse and Prose of William Butler Yeats Vol. 4 (of 8) The Hour-glass. Cathleen ni Houlihan. The Golden Helmet. The Irish Dramatic Movement by Yeats W B William Butler
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Ebook has 63 lines and 4466 words, and 2 pages
The movements already described are regular in their action, and a stride may be divided into two parts, which are essentially similar to each other.
and the gallop, however, cannot be so divided, and a complete stride in either of those gaits is a combination of several different movements.
The canter is usually regarded as a slow gallop, probably from the facility with which a change from one gait to the other can be effected; an important difference will, however, be observed.
Assuming a horse after his propulsion through the air, during a stride of 10 feet, to have just landed on his left hind foot, the right hind foot will be on the point of passing to the front of the left. The left fore leg will be thrust forward and nearly straight, while the right fore leg will be flexed with the foot elevated about 12 inches from the ground, and somewhat behind the vertical of the breast. The left fore foot being brought to the ground, the body is supported by the laterals; the right hind foot is, however, quickly lowered, and performs its share of support. The left hind foot is then raised, and the right hind and left fore legs assume the weight, the former being nearly vertical, and the latter inclined well back, the right fore foot is thrust well forward, and is just about to strike the ground; when it does, three feet again share the support, they being the two fore and the right hind. The left fore foot now leaves the ground, and we again find the support furnished by the laterals, the right instead of, as before, the left.
The right hind foot is raised when the right fore leg becomes vertical; this latter, which now sustains the entire weight, gives the final effort of propulsion, and the body is hurled into the air.
The descent of the left hind foot completes the stride, and the consecutive movements are repeated.
In stride No. 7 we learn that during the canter the support of the body is derived from
This movement has in all ages been employed by artists to convey the impression of rapid motion, although, curiously enough, the attitude in which the horse has been almost invariably depicted is one which is impracticable during uniform progressive motion.
When during a rapid gallop, with a stride of 20 feet, a horse after his flight through the air lands on his left hind foot, the right hind will be suspended over it at an elevation of 12 or 15 inches, and several inches to the rear of and above it the sole of the right fore foot will be turned up almost horizontally, the left fore leg is flexed with the foot under the breast at a height of 18 or 20 inches.
The right hind foot strikes the ground some 36 inches in advance of the left hind, each as they land being forward of the centre of gravity.
The body is now thrust forward, and while the right hind pastern is still almost horizontal, the left hind foot leaves the ground. At this time the left fore leg is perfectly straight, the foot, with the toe much higher than the heel, is thrust forward to a point almost vertical with the nose, and at an elevation of about 12 inches the right fore knee is bent at right angles, and the foot suspended under the breast at several inches greater elevation than the left fore foot.
The left fore foot now strikes the ground, 96 inches in advance of the spot which the right hind foot is on the point of leaving, and for a brief space of time the diagonals are upon the ground together. The left fore leg, however, immediately assumes the entire responsibility of the weight, and soon attains a vertical position, with its pastern at right angles to it.
In this position the right hind foot is thrust back to its fullest extent, at an elevation of 12 or 14 inches, with the pastern nearly horizontal. The left hind foot is considerably higher and somewhat more forward; the right fore leg is straight, stretched forward, with the foot about 15 inches from the ground, and almost on a perpendicular line from the nose. The right fore foot strikes the ground 48 inches in advance of the left fore, which, having nearly performed its office, is preparing to leave the ground; the animal will then be supported on the right fore foot alone, which immediately f
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