62 ANGLO-FRENCH HORSEMANSHIP 



fore, the left rein held below the withers with a back- 

 ward tension towards the off hind leg, places, Avith the 

 assistance of the left leg, the horse's weight on to the 

 off fore and off hind legs, giving him a tendency to 

 move to the right on tAVO parallel lines with the quarters 

 in line with the shoulders, so that when stimulated by 

 the legs he will naturally break into the canter, leading 

 with the off fore leg. When the opposite aids are 

 applied, the horse being pressed to the left must change 

 liis leading leg, and with practice he will do so at every 

 stride ; the aids should be applied as the leading fore 

 foot takes the ground, the canter being slow and highly 

 collected. 



To start the canter from the trot the rider should, 

 when, say, the near fore foot comes to the ground, i.e. 

 when the hind legs are suitably placed for raising the 

 forehand, press the horse forward with both legs and 

 left spur, easing the hand as he jumps off into the 

 canter from the near hind leg, which has been hastened 

 forward by the spur. 



In starting the canter as above described the rein 

 of the opposite side can assist as an indirect rein 

 (diagonal aid) carrying the weight off the shoulder 

 it is desired to lead with by an upward tension across 

 the neck, at the moment the horse should strike off into 

 the canter. 



To sum up, in canter right, the left leg and reii\ 

 distribute the horse's Aveight, both legs press him 

 forward, and the right rein raises the off shoulder point 

 as the left rein is shghtly eased.* When closing in the 



* In the veiy slow canter there are four beats, viz., near hind 

 foot, near fore foot, off hind foot, off fore foot. In the fast 

 gallop there are also four beats, but the order is different, viz., 

 near hind foot, off hind foot, near fore foot, off fore foot. 



