"PASSAGE" TO THE REAR. 305 



The canter on three legs may be done either to the right 

 or to the left* 



I do not know if others taught this exercise before me. In 

 any case, I have never seen it done by anyone else, and I 

 have never met with its description in any treatise on 

 equitation. 



" PASSAGE " TO THE REAR. 



This is a very difficult exercise to do ; because ground has 

 to be gained to the rear, while maintaining the diagonal steps 

 in a well-cadenced manner, and preserving the same elevation 

 of the hind legs, as in the forward movement. In every 

 retrograde movement, the hind feet have a tendency to keep 

 as close to the ground as possible. Unless we are absolutely 

 sure of ourselves — as we ought to be, when we face such 

 difficulties — we often produce, against our will, too strong an 

 effect from front to rear, and thus transfer the weight from the 

 forehand to the hind quarters, which consequently becomes 

 lowered. To obviate this fault, we should make the horse 



* Fig. 63. Germinal at the canter to the left on three legs ; in hand, but not 

 rassembWA. The canter is in four time, although there is no rassembler, because 

 the energetic uplifting of the forehand keeps in the air, even the leg which is not 

 extended. 



Fig. 64. Germinal at the canter to the right on three legs ; rasseinbU 'd. 



We can see how much the action of the spur, which is necessary for the 

 rassembler; increases the extension of the leg in the air, and increases the height 

 of the action, by bringing the hind quarters under the body. 



Fig. 65 represents Germinal at the half -rear with the off fore extended, at the 

 moment when I demanded the canter to the right on three legs in the rassembler. 

 The horse had begun by a lazy extension of the leg ; but a sharper touch of the 

 spur has made him do this half -rear, while at the same time he extends his 

 off fore perfectly. In fact, this is a case of absolute obedience ; and the horse, 

 immediately after the half-rear, starts into the canter to the right on three legs, in 

 the rassembler. The photograph shown in Fig. 64 was taken immediately after 

 this]^half-rear. 



We can see, agreeably to what I have advised, that the spurs are applied to the 

 sides during the half-rear, and the reins slackened. In fact, the reins are much 

 less tight in Fig. 65 than in Fig. 64, in which the hands feel them ; but in Fig. 

 65 the hands are carried forward on the neck. 



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