272 SCHOOL BREAKING. 



fixed on the ground, and the head slightly bent towards the 

 side to which it is being turned. The movement which I 

 have called the turn on the forehand to the right is the 

 pirouette renversee a gauche ; and the turn on the forehand 

 to the left, the pirouette renversce a droite. 



TURN ON THE HIND-QUARTERS. 



This movement should be taught to the horse with a great 

 deal of discretion ; for it is apt to make him rear as a 

 " defence." We may begin on foot, by holding the reins 

 and whip in the same way as in the turn on the forehand (see 

 page 193). We should, for obtaining the turn, say, to the 

 right, bend the head to the right with the right rein, push the 

 forehand round to the right with the left rein, and check any 

 rotatory movement of the hind-quarters by the application 

 of the whip (see Fig. 95), which may be used to press against 

 the left thigh or lightly tap it. The horse should be relieved 

 and " made much of " (patted on the neck) at each step 

 gained. In the turn on the hind-quarters to the right, the 

 off hind will act as the pivot, which at first should be a 

 moving one ; that is to say, instead of, in this case, the off 

 hind remaining fixed on the ground, it may describe a circle 

 of, perhaps, a couple of feet in diameter. The nearer ap- 

 proach there is made to fixity of pivot, the more inclined 

 will the horse be to rear. If the fixed pivot be demanded, 

 its accomplishment should be delayed to a late period of the 

 breaking ; for the horse will then be less liable to " play 

 up " than he would have been when his education was less 

 advanced. In the turn on the hind-quarters to the right, 

 when mounted, we should draw back and apply the left foot, 

 advance the right foot, lean a little back and to the right side, 

 raise the left hand a little higher than the right hand, and 

 turn the horse's head and neck to the right. The opposite 



