THE REIN-BACK. 119 



shortening the steps. Too long steps show that the horse has 

 not begun to collect himself, without doing which his steps 

 cannot be in cadence. 



The school walk is an excellent form of gymnastics, in 

 which the combined " aids " of the rider bring all the powers 

 of the horse into play. It makes him supple, graceful, light 

 and well posed ; in other words, it puts him into perfect 

 equilibrium, and it prepares him finall}' for the artificial paces, 

 and especially for the rassenibler, which of itself brings him 

 to the passage and piaffer. 



I teach the horse to do all the changes of direction at this 

 school walk ; but only when he can do them easily at an 

 ordinary walk. 



THE REIN-BACK. 



People generally, when trying on foot to make a horse 

 rein back, commit the great fault of holding his head as high 

 as possible while pushing him back. The exact opposite of 

 this should be done ; because, by raising the head while 

 pushing the horse back, we overload the hind quarters, 

 which require to be light in order to perform this move- 

 ment. 



In fact, the hind quarters are the first to move, which 

 they cannot do freely if they are overloaded. Even if we 

 tr}' to push back the horse onl)' a little, we will make him 

 get behind his bit and rear, which is a most serious vice. 



To make a horse rein back properly, we should, on the 

 contrary, put the preponderance of weight on his shoulders. 

 In order to do this, I slightly lower the head of the animal * 

 by light, downward pressures on the snafifie reins. ' 



I stand directly facing the horse, and seize with each hand, 



* Reining back is the only work during which I put extra weight on the 

 shoulders. 



