CHANGES OF LEG. 171 



I have already said, each stride is composed of three distinct 

 periods, which are marked by the feet of the horse coming 

 down on the ground. In reahty there is a fourth, namely, the 

 period of suspension, which is not marked. 



The canter to the right may be divided as follows: ist 

 period, near hind ; 2nd period, off hind and near fore ; and 

 3rd period, off fore. The fourth period begins at the moment 

 the off fore leaves the ground, and ends when the near hind is 

 placed on the ground. At this moment the horse is in the air> 

 between the third period of one stride and the first period of 

 the next stride. 



The best time to obtain the change of leg is at the fourth 

 period, because the horse is then in the air.* 



* Baucher gives no explanation of this subject. The majority of riding 

 masters make this change of leg during support, and not when the horse is in the 

 air, as I have advised. Their plan gives rise to an inevitable halt, which 

 destroys the rhythm of the canter, and consequently alters the canter. My 

 method, on the contrary, maintains the canter with all its impulse, and allows, 

 the rider to lengthen or shorten the stride, as he may wish, in all the changes 

 of leg. 



A correctly executed change of leg at each stride thus forms a true pace, at 

 which I obtain so much impulse that I am ready, without false modesty, to- 

 challenge anyone to have a race at it. 



On this subject I sent the following letter to the editor of Gil Bias, who- 

 declined to publish it. I fortunately got it inserted in the Echo de Paris, but it 

 received no answer : — 



" Paris, 27th August, 1 890. 

 "To THE Editor Gil Bias. 

 "Sir,— 



" Baron de Vaux has severely criticised my book and my riding in a long 

 article which recently appeared in Gil Bias. It has in no way annoyed me, and 

 I, being a horseman, have not the rashness to find fault with the criticism of a 

 penman. 



" There is, however, one point which I think is worthy of notice, because it 

 can be submitted to practical proof. 



"The writer of the article tries to make out that I do not hold my horses 

 straight in the changes of leg. If this be true, I must necessarily lose ground in 

 forward progression. That being the case, I propose a race of changes of leg at 

 each stride, which I believe is an original idea that has never been tried. The 

 winner will, of course, be he whose horse is the straighter of the two. 



