274 HIGH-SCHOOL RIDING. 



time, but not patted on the neck. After that, we should 

 begin again starting at the canter on each leg with the horse 

 well in hand, without asking him to change, and should not 

 finish the lesson until he has become perfectly quiet. 



Each time that I find any difficulty in the changes of 

 leg, I go back to starting at the canter, which I find very 

 profitable. The starts are for the horse, what scales are for 

 pianists, and steps for dancers. 



From four times I do three, then two, and finally one, in 

 which each stride of the canter ought to be done on a 

 different leg. I leave a sufficiently long time to elapse be- 

 tween each of my demands — from four to three, from three to 

 two, and from two to one. 



If we go too fast we will not succeed, for the horse cannot 

 help making mistakes, because he has not had the chance 

 of understanding the difference between the changes of leg 

 demanded at different times. 



By going quietly in riding, we shall be certain of suc- 

 ceeding quickly. Besides, the horse is the one who indicates 

 to us the number of changes and the interval between them 

 without spoiling his equilibrium, strength, or lightness. 



Only when he is quiet, light in hand, and when he does 

 the changes with ease, do I obtain the changes in two time, 

 and then in each stride, during two or three turns round the 

 school on both hands ; and I make him do the same work 

 in two times, in voltes and changes of hand. When I am 

 satisfied with the results obtained, I make him do the 

 changes at each stride in these movements. 



The rider who succeeds in doing the voltes and changes 

 of hand, while making the horse change very steadily at 

 each stride, can be satisfied with himself and with his horse, 

 because he has overcome the great difficulty in riding. 



