MOUNTED INSTRUCTION 121 



THE WALK 



The walk is a gait in which the feet are lifted in succession and put 

 down in the order of their lifting. If the right front foot begins the gait, 

 the other feet are lifted in the following order: Left hind, left front, 

 right hind. The walk should be free, easy, and elastic. 



THE TROT 



The trot is a gait at which the horse springs from one diagonally- 

 disposed pair of feet to the other ; between the beats all the feet are in 

 the air. The right front and hind left are called the right diagonal, the 

 left front and the right hind are the left diagonal. 



THE GALLOP 



The gallop is the most rapid of gaits. It must not be used unneces- 

 sarily over long distances, particulary on hard roads, where the concus- 

 sion on the feet is severe, nor when the saddle is packed. However, 

 when the rapidity of the normal trot is not sufficient, the rider, when 

 out alone, should take the gallop preference to increasing the speed of 

 the trot. 



The horse is said to lead right when the feet on the right side are 

 more advanced than the corresponding feet on the left side. W^hen feet 

 are advanced in the inverse order the horse is said to lead left. 



The gallop is marked by three beats and a period of suspension. If 

 the horse be leading right, the first beat is marked by the left hind foot, 

 and the third by the placing of the right front foot. The horse 

 then leaps into the air from, and advances, the right front foot. In lead- 

 ing left the beats are right hind, left hind, and right front, left front. 



A horse gallops true when he leads right in turning to the right, and 

 leads left turning to the left. 



He gallops false when he leads left in turning to the right, or con- 

 versely. The gallop should be begun on the circles, because the feet 

 are then favorably placed for taking and maintaining the proper lead. 

 The horses thus start off more calmly and the rider is enabled to regu- 

 late the pace by describing a circle of greater or less circumference. 



As soon as the horse breaks into the gallop the rider should move 

 in cadence with his horse. The back and legs unite in the rhythm of the 

 gait, the hands accompany gently and without exaggeration the move- 

 ments of the head and back. 



During the gallop the command at ease is frequently given. The 

 riders execute the su])pling exercises which have been indicated as 

 necessary in each case : they abandon themselves completely to the 

 motion of the horse and thus acquire ease and' flexibility. Prolonged 

 periods at the gallop on calm and free moving horses are most favorable 

 for easily obtaining this result. 



The gallop should be begun on a circle because the horse thus starts 

 ofT more calmly and the driver is enabled to regulate the pace by 

 describing a circle of greater or less radius. 



