Why Are Greyhounds So Fast? (And Are They Faster Than Racehorses?)



ORIGINAL POST
Posted by Ed 2 yrs ago

https://hongkong.asiaxpat.com/Utility/GetImage.ashx?ImageID=84625cce-3163-414e-a0a4-5173ee4795ca&refreshStamp=0

Everyone knows Greyhounds are fast, but exactly how fast are they? Most place their maximum speed at around 45 mph—a bit slower than a quarter horse, and much slower than a cheetah.
 
The Greyhound’s running style is actually like that of a cheetah’s, employing what’s known as the double-suspension gallop. Unlike horses, which have only one period during their galloping stride in which all four legs are off the ground at once (the period when they are all contracted beneath the body), Greyhounds and many other fast dogs have two periods of suspension during their fastest gallop: the contracted phase, like the horse, plus the extended phase, like the picture of the Greyhound on the side of the bus.
 
This is called a double-suspension gallop. Its feet touch the ground only 25% of the time it is running. Watch it in slow motion here:
 
https://be.chewy.com/why-are-greyhounds-so-fast-and-are-they-faster-than-racehorses/ 
 

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