THE TROT. 145 



of the legs. At first we must limit ourselves to the short trot, 

 and, above all things, we should make the animal do it in a 

 correct and cadenced manner, that is to say, the foot-falls 

 should be equal as regards time. xAs the horse is supple, and 

 has been trained to obey the " aids," he will soon do what we 

 require. 



At first it is well to allow the horss to be as free as possible, 

 in order that we may see if he trots level naturall}'. If at 

 first we keep him in hand when trotting, he will not go freely, 

 and if there is an inequality in his gait, it will be difficult to 

 judge whether it is due to a fault of conformation, unsound- 

 ness, or bad horsemanship, namely, erroneous effects produced 

 by the " aids." The reins, especially those of the curb, ought 

 to be only very slightly felt. If the horse carries his head too 

 high, we should use the curb reins. The fact of the head 

 being carried too high and in a backward direction, crushes 

 the hind quarters. If, on the contrary, the head is too low, 

 we should use the snaffle reins ; but should not draw them 

 to the rear, because that would stop the propulsion. We 

 should give light quick pulls to these reins alternately, without 

 jerking them, while taking care always to keep the hands 

 high. We had best trot the horse only twdce round the 

 school, stop him, bring him into hand, and do the same 

 things over again several times. 



When we have got the horse into a good position at the 

 trot, with his neck high,* and the line of his face nearly per- 

 pendicular, but a little farther advanced than the vertical line, 

 we can keep up this pace for a longer time. We should 

 gradually work up to this, because the more tired a horse 

 becomes, the lower will he carry his head. If we prolong the 

 work, he will become heavy in hand, in which case we should 

 stop him by strongly closing the legs, and, having got him 

 completel}' in hand, should set off again. 



*This naturally increases the height of his action. 



10 



