246 HIGH-SCHOOL RIDING. 



By frequent repetition we can soon make a horse take a 

 step or two in the rotation of his croup, without putting his 

 right fore on the ground, and Httle by httle we can make 

 him do the complete pirouette in this manner. We ought, 

 during the entire time, to maintain a fairly strong pressure of 

 the opposite leg, so as to keep the horse up to his bridle and 

 prevent him getting behind his bit. To be in a good position, 

 the horse should have his head and neck high, and his neck 

 slightly bent to the right. The action of the right snaffle rein 

 is necessary to make this bend, and to help in keeping the 

 right leg in the air. 



We use the reversed means to obtain the pirouette from 

 right to left, with extension of the left leg. 



The difficulty is to keep the right leg extended ; the equi- 

 librium on the three legs being sufficiently secure to allow the 

 horse to maintain this position, and to move his hind quarters 

 round the left fore foot, which forms a pivot and does not 

 shift out of its place. 



In the pirouette from left to right, we should carr}- the 

 hands to the left, while lightl}' feeling the right reins, so as to 

 put the weight of the forehand on the left shoulder. In the 

 pirouette from right to left, the right foot is the pivot, and 

 consequently we should carry the hands to the right, and feel 

 the left reins, so that the right leg, in its turn, will bear the 

 weight of the forehand, and thus allow the left leg to be 

 raised. 



REVERSED AND ORDINARY PIROUETTES WITH 

 THE FEET CROSSED. 



The reversed pirouette with the fore feet crossed is done 

 in the same manner as the reversed pirouette on three legs, 

 except that the fore legs, instead of being successively ex- 

 tended in the air, rest on the ground, and become crossed 

 while the horse turns. 



