60 ANGLO-FRENCH HORSEMANSHIP 



air with knees, hocks, and fetlocks bent before being 

 put down again. This is a nice pace to start the 

 canter or trot from. It is taught by stimulating the 

 horse, and then feeling the mouth with the curb reins 

 only ; the rider sinking into the saddle, opening the 

 thighs and legs, and drawing the horse back through 

 them into a perfect balance, his neck arched, his head 

 perpendicular with the ground, and his lower jaw 

 relaxed (the French " Rammener ") — whilst the spurs 

 maintain the forward impulse if he slackens his pace — 

 and then animating him with each leg alternately as 

 the fore foot of the same side comes to the ground ; t?ie 

 rider being careful to keep both legs touching the flanks 

 the whole time, sufficiently behind the girths to 

 bring the hind legs under the body (the French 

 " Rassembler "), but not further back than necessary. 

 Mr. Fillis says that we can only do fine work with a 

 horse by always keeping the heels close to his sides ; 

 there must not be any marked movement of the legs,* 

 and to secure this it is advisable to turn the knees well 

 in, and then draw back the heels, whilst the seat bones 

 are pressed under the body. 



The reins should be just sufficiently stretched to 

 bring the horse's head perpendicular with the ground, 

 and to regulate the energy which the legs and spurs 

 excite. The hands can assist the legs by giving a light 

 touch on the rein of the same or the opposite side, 

 according as the horse works better with the lateral f 



* The rider will find it easier to maintain the steady pressure 

 of the legs and a light handling of the reins if he inclines the 

 upper part of the body slightly forward, but when riding a 

 trained horse the body should be erect. 



t The action of the lateral aid of the hand should be low and 

 across the horse, so as to cSiTvy the weight on to the diagonal hind 

 leg' — diagonal effect. If the horse flourishes his tail about, the 



