2;o SCHOOL BREAKING. 



Although, to facilitate instruction, the horse may at first 

 be placed with his head turned away from the direction in 

 which he is to proceed, he should be taught later on to 

 strike off into the canter from the trot, walk, or halt, with 

 his head straight, or even slightly bent to the side of the 

 fore leg with which it is intended for him to lead off. He 

 will then have to rely almost entirely on the respective 

 signals given by the legs and by the displacement of the 

 weight of the rider's body. 



CHANGING THE LEG AT THE CANTER. 



Having taught the horse, without changing his direction, 

 to strike off steadily and promptly into the canter with 

 either fore leg, as may be required, from the trot, walk, and 

 halt, we may canter him down the centre of the school, say, 

 with the near fore leading, and at the moment when he brings 

 that leg down on the ground, we should apply the drawn- 

 back left leg, feel the right rein, place the weight on the right 

 stirrup, and make the horse turn more or less sharply to the 

 right, so as to oblige him to change his leg. We should 

 gradually work him in this way, and with the off as well as 

 the near fore leading, so that he will make the change on 

 receiving the signal from the aids, without deviating from 

 a straight line. By practising him at this and by keeping 

 him well in hand, we may finally get him to change his leg 

 at each stride, at every second stride, or at every third stride 

 as may be desired. 



We select the moment the horse brings down the leading 

 fore leg (namely, the third period of the canter, see Fig. 

 120) as the one at which to give the signal for the change ; 

 because the hind leg of the same side as the leading fore 

 is about to quit the ground at that time, and conse- 

 quently, on being stimulated by the rider's foot, it can be 

 brought forward under the animal's body with the least 



