TRAINING 63 



legs the feet should be parallel with the horse's sides, 

 so that the side of the spur touches the flanks and draws 

 forward the hind leg. 



When the horse is steady in the canter on either leg 

 and changes readily, he should be taught to canter a 

 circle to either hand, leading with the outside leg, the 

 rider maintaining the aids for that leg firmly whilst the 

 horse is circling to the other hand. 



There is one point in connection with training which 

 must be remembered ; the horse should not be made 

 to carry his head and neck high, and so transfer the 

 greater part of his weight to his loins and hocks, until 

 he has been gradually strengthened by long walks, 

 trots and gallops ; the hands should at first be held low, 

 and the collecting pull on the reins horizontal. Many 

 a case of broken knees has arisen from the horse being 

 too tired in his loins to save himself after a stumble. 

 To sum up, when in the open a hack should walk, trot 

 and canter slowly, or fast, as required, and this is the 

 object of all the training we give him in the school. 



[a) To teach the horse to stride out in the walk, 

 the rider closes in his legs each time a fore foot comes 

 to the ground, shortens the reins and carries his hand 

 forAvard till the arm is nearly straight, so that the 

 action of the reins does not tend to stop the horse, 

 and draws the left rein across the neck each time the 

 right fore foot comes to the ground, and the right rein 

 each time the left fore foot comes to the ground. 



The opposite action of the reins has the effect of 

 reducing the pace in the walk, trot and canter, that is 

 to say, in order to make a horse shorten his stride the 

 left rein should be pressed against the neck as the near 

 fore foot comes to the ground, and the right rein as the 

 off fore foot comes down. This can also be done with 



