COLLECTING A HORSE. 231 



the neck become. Hence, when a horse is walking at 

 ease, the reins will have to be held longer than at any other 

 pace ; and they should be allowed to remain nearly slack ; 

 because at each step in this walk, a horse moves his head 

 from side to side in order to aid in the adjustment of his 

 weight, which he cannot do, if the reins are kept tight and 

 at a fixed length. 



COLLECTING A HORSE. 



To collect a horse at the halt or at any pace, we should feel 

 the reins and apply the legs, so as to send him up to the bridle, 

 get his hind legs under him, and lighten his fore-hand. With 

 the object of economising a horse's powers by keeping him 

 light in front, we should usually have him collected when 

 going fast. Some of the exceptions to this rule are pointed 

 out in the remarks made on " Riding with Slack Reins," page 

 227. When a horse moves naturally at the trot (Figs. 196 

 and 197), canter (Figs. 17 to 26), or gallop (Figs. I to 16), 

 his head will be at an angle of about 45 to the ground ; but 

 the greater the collection, the more nearly will the head 

 assume a perpendicular position. In all cases, a position of 

 the head which will bring the muzzle closer to the breast 

 than would be necessary to make the line of the face per- 

 pendicular with the ground, will interfere with the action of 

 the shoulders and will at the same time make the animal 

 heavy in front. Consequently, the rider should try to avoid 

 allowing his mount to get his head into this position. 



TO TROT. 



Whether the rider wishes to start from the halt into the trot, 

 or to change into it from some other pace, he should keep his 

 hands low, take a tolerably firm hold of the reins, lean a little 

 forward, and by slightly rising in the stirrups, indicate his 

 wishes to the animal. When trotting in ordinary fashion, the 



