REVERSED PIROUETTE ON THREE LEGS. 245 



At the same moment No. 5, who wields the driving whip, 

 touches the horse on the croup to make him go forward. 



Thus, a step with the left leg is obtained. No. 2, who holds 

 the cord of the hobble, which is on the pastern of the right 

 leg, comes on the scene only when the squad proceeds to 

 manipulate the right leg in the way I have just described for 

 the left leg. This double manoeuvre continues until the horse 

 has learned the Spanish walk. 



This is a case which demands the intervention of the 

 S.P.C.A. I am at a loss for a word to express this kind of 

 proceeding. It is certainly not breaking, and has nothing in 

 common with horsemanship. 



REVERSED PIROUETTE ON THREE LEGS. 



The reversed pirouette on three legs, the fourth being held 

 in the air, during the rotation of the croup round the shoulders, 

 is the easiest movement to teach the horse, of course supposing 

 that he is well balanced ; because it is an affair of uniting, in a 

 single movement, the rotation of the croup and the extension 

 of the legs. 



Having ridden the horse into the middle of the school, we 

 make him take a few steps in the rotation of his croup, while 

 stopping him at every three or four steps to make him extend 

 his leg. 



As we use the same leg for both movements it ought to be 

 kept close to the girths, the other leg being the one which 

 stops the rotation. For example, in the rotation of the croup 

 round the shoulders from left to right, my left leg prompts the 

 rotation of the croup, and also the extension of the horse's 

 right leg. When the horse has described about a quarter of 

 the circle of rotation, I stop him by the pressure of my right 

 leg, and I touch him with the left spur, which I keep close to 

 the girths, while at the same time I lightly feel the right rein of 

 the snaffle, so as to oblige the animal to extend his right leg. 



