262 HIGH-SCHOOL RIDING. 



the shoulders, especially in demi-voltes, which is a fault we 

 should carefully check ; because the moment the haunches 

 go before the shoulders in an oblique line, the horse is behind 

 the bit. 



Immediately after I do similar work for the shoulder-in at 

 the canter, from left to right.* 



PIROUETTES AT THE CANTER. 



In the pirouette at the canter, the horse's hind legs ought, so 

 to speak, to " mark time " at that pace, while pivoting round, 

 in order that the haunches may remain on the same line as the 

 shoulders, which describe a circle round them. A horse 

 should on no account rest continuously on one of his hind 

 legs, as some authors maintain, for if he does so, he will stop 

 cantering. 



Before pirouettes are required at the canter, they should be 

 taught at the walk, with the horse very well rassembh^'d. With 

 this object, I place my horse in the centre of the school. If I 

 wish to make a pirouette, with the shoulders turning round the 

 croup from left to right, I carry my hands to the right, the 

 right rein drawing the head to the right, and the left rein 

 pressing both the neck and the shoulders to the right. Both 

 legs are firmly closed, the left leg being carried a little back, 

 to fix the croup and to prevent it turning, whilst the right leg 

 presses the horse up to his bridle, so as to prevent him getting 

 behind his bit. This work requires great delicacy and light- 

 ness of hand. If the hands are too strongly used from left to 

 right, their action will cause derangement of the shoulders, but 

 not a pirouette. If the hands feel the reins too strongly from 

 front to rear, the horse will get behind his bit. 



When the horse fully understands this work and does it 



* I do not allude to the shoulder-to-the-wall ; because I regard it as a bad 

 exercise in which the horse is really held by the wall, so that he is no longer 

 under the guidance of the rider. 



