IX. 



Second leg lesson or first suppling of the haunches. — 

 We have already given the horse the first leg lesson — the 

 lesson in moving straight to the front — by drilling him to 

 yield to the action of the legs. We will now teach him 

 to yield to the effect of one leg, carrying the haunches to 

 the right or left; this second lesson, which necessitates 

 the crossing of the hind legs and gives mobility to the 

 hind quarters, is a most useful suppling for the horse. 



The best way to give a horse this second lesson is to 

 use half turns on the forehand in reverse; half turns on 

 the forehand are nothing more nor less than abouts on the 

 forehand made while marching.'^ For example, marching 

 on the right hand, leave the track on a diagonal (oblique) 

 and return to it by a half turn to the left ^ exacted by a 



a In the expressions " demi- voltes ren verses" and "demi- tours sur lea 

 ^paules faits en marchant," an apparent inconsistency is encountered. 

 The "demi- tour sur les epaules" is the "about on the forehand" of our 

 drill regulations. If, however, instead of being held stationary, the 

 forehand is allowed to gain ground (en marchant), we will have the 

 movement contemplated in the lesson, but it will necessarily be on two 

 tracks, the semicircle made by the hind feet having a greater radius 

 than that made by the fore feet. Now, the "volte" is nothing more 

 than our individual "circle," and is a one-track movement. For 

 clearness, then, it is evident that a word is needed to accurately describe 

 this "about made while marching," and the board has decided to use 

 the expression "half-turn." The "turn" of the riding hall will be a 

 movement of 360° and it may be urged that the command will clash with 

 the 90° turn of the drill regulations; but, as one is for an exercise by the 

 individual trooper and the other is for a change of front by a body of 

 men in line, it is thought that no confusion will result. — The Board. 



& The commands for this exercise are: (1) Right oblique, (2) March, 

 and (1) On forehand, (2) Half turn in reverse, (3) March. 



" Half turn in reverse" could, in this case, be expressed "Left half 



turn," but "in reverse" (renverse) has particular significance and the 



terms should be retained on that account. 



37 



