276 HIGH-SCHOOL RIDING. 



under the centre. To sum up : all four legs should be raised 

 high and in cadence, so that the horse is suspended in the 

 air from one diagonal to the other. This natural passage, 

 which is graceful and brilliant, ought also to be slow, and as 

 high as possible.* 



We should bear in mind that no horse will do the passage 

 of his own accord ; for it can be obtained only by teaching. 

 Some horses can be very easily taught the passage, especially 

 those which have slow paces and bend their knees ; that is 

 to say, those which have high action before and behind, and 

 bend their knees and hocks — in a word, slow and high 

 action. 



A horse which goes stiffly, without bending the knees or 

 hocks, is not fit for this movement. I will not go so far as to 

 say that he cannot be taught it, but supposing that he is made 

 to do it, he moves ungracefully, because he looks stiff, on 

 account of dragging his feet. 



It is extremely difficult to explain how the natural passage 

 is obtained. The first thing is to rassembler the horse, 

 without doing which the passage is not possible ; but collecting 

 him \i not enough, for he has also to be taught to passage. 



Having perfectly collected him, we ought to use the spur, 

 in order to obtain the raising of the legs, which gives the 

 passage. 



While riding the horse at a well-balanced walk, I make him 

 trot, by strongly closing my legs, while keeping him well in 



* Fig. 56. — Germinal at the passage : right diagonal in the air. 



Fig. 57. — Markir at the passage : left diagonal in the air. In these two 

 illustrations, we will note the elevation of the legs, the fore one being raised 

 much higher than the hind. The spur is the only means for obtaining this 

 result. The contrary takes place with horses broken by the cutting whip, which, 

 by being applied to the croup, fatally produces a predominant elevation of the 

 hind quarters. 



In Fig. 57, the fetlock being extended almost to the point of touching the 

 ground, is preparing the energetic spring which will give height; but in Fig. 56, 

 the forward movement is the more accentuated one of the two. 



