302 HIGH-SCHOOL RIDING. 



There is another trot which is called the " swimmer," in 

 which the horse ought to trot as fast as he can, while 

 indicating with his fore legs a time of suspension in the 

 air. But, as the speed is great, the period of suspension is 

 much less marked than in the Spanish trot. I do not think 

 that this is a school movement. A horse which trots well 

 with his shoulders and knees will do it naturally. I content 

 myself with merely mentioning it. 



SERPENTINE AT THE TROT. 



This movement consists in making a horse take four side 

 steps to the left and four to the right at a well-collected trot. 

 During the whole time the horse ought to go on two tracks, 

 the forehand gaining a little more ground at the side to which 

 the animal is proceeding, so as to prevent the haunches from 

 going in front of the shoulders. 



This movement appears simple, but it is very difficult to do 

 correctly. We can quickly see that there is only a very short 

 interval to put the horse back from one diagonal to the other 

 gently and smoothly. All the merit and all the difficulty of 

 this exercise consist in taking exactly four steps to each side. 

 If the animal sometimes takes three, and sometimes five, there 

 is no difficulty, merit, or interest. 



CANTER ON THREE LEGS. 



We can make a horse canter on three legs, in which case 

 the three first times of the canter are done in a rassemble'd 

 canter (in four times), and the fourth time is done in the air. 

 If, for example, we are cantering to the right, the off fore 

 should be held up, without touching the ground. 



Few horses can do in a brilliant manner the canter on three 

 legs. Many can succeed in doing it ; but only a very energetic 

 animal can hold his leg well extended in the air, without its 

 touching the ground, during the whole period of the movement, 



