382 RIDING 



balance will be lost. A few times round the circle is sufficient 

 at first, and if he has managed to keep fairly well down on his 

 seat he will have done all that should be expected of him. It 

 is a great help to lean the body a little inside the circle during 

 this lesson. After sitting at ease a short time he may try a few 

 times round to the other hand. In coming from a canter to a 

 trot the reins should be felt so as to bring the horse nearly to a 

 walk, then yield the hand and sit quite still, and in most cases 

 the horse will settle down to a steady trot ; but if the seat is 

 not steady the hands are sure not to be, and in that case the 

 sooner he walks and halts the better, care being taken not to 

 pull the horse up roughly or suddenly, which will only make 

 him unsteady and of course more difficult to sit on. 



In speaking of cantering true and united, it should be ex- 

 plained that when cantering to the right the horse is true and 

 united if leading with both off legs, if to the left if leading with 

 both near legs ; he is disunited if leading with the off fore 

 followed by the near hind, or if leading with the near fore 

 followed by the off hind. It of course takes time to find out 

 all this, but as soon as the rider is able to sit steadily on his 

 horse's back at a canter he will 'be able to feel whether his 

 horse is true or otherwise, and if he is false or disunited the 

 best way is to pull him up quietly and apply his aids again. 



LESSON XIV 



It would be as well to allow the pupil to ride the same horse 

 again during the time he is cantering. In the first part of the 

 lesson he should still ride a short time without stirrups, and 

 continue the turns and circles at a walk and trot, also reining 

 back a few steps now and again ; and towards the end of the 

 lesson he should again be put on the circle for cantering in the 

 same manner as yesterday. In the first few lessons in canter- 

 ing, it will in most cases be found that the pupil will be inclined 

 to get his hands too high. This must not be allowed, as by 

 raising the hands the reins are shortened and he holds on to 



