I40 ORDINARY RIDING. 



sleepy work on two tracks which we generally see in riding 

 schools. I pay particular attention to demanding energetic 

 work, and I keep my horse full of enterprise, which is the 

 exact opposite of what is usually done. If my mount is en- 

 terprising, he becomes so on account of my legs having been 

 enterprising in the first instance. 



In sleepy work the horse obeys conditionally ; in energetic 

 work he obeys without conditions ; he keeps nothing in re- 

 serve and he gives himself up to his rider, which is the first 

 condition of equitation. 



Figs. 41 and 42 show Germinal (a thorough-bred by Flavio 

 out of Pascale) at work on " two tracks " at the school walk. 



In Fig. 41, the horse begins by putting himself into position, 

 at which he is perfect in Fig. 42. We can see how far the 

 correct position is from the crossed position, which many 

 riding masters adopt in work on " two tracks " ; the result 

 being that they stop all impulse. 



The impulse appears greater in Fig.42 than inFig. 41, because 

 the horse, which is going on two tracks from left to right, was 

 photographed at the moment when he rested his right hind 

 foot on the ground, the right being the side to which he was 

 going. In Fig. 41 (two tracks from right to left), the near fore 

 foot, which forms the support, belongs to the side (the left) to 

 which the horse is going. 



A comparison of these two illustrations enables us to tho- 

 roughly understand the movements of the horse's legs during 

 work on two tracks. 



THE TROT. 



To make a horse trot, we must begin by slackening the 

 reins, and increasing the pressure of the legs a little. We 

 ought to avoid striking him with our heels, which might upset 

 him. But if he is sluggish, we may at first make him feel 

 the heels, and afterwards the spurs, but only after a pressure 



