TRAINING 75 



forward movement, until the horse raises his hind 

 quarters in response to the whip, when he should be at 

 onee patted. 



The trainer will be satisfied even with disorderly 

 movements at first — the main point being to 

 persuade the horse to raise his croup — and he will 

 gradually teach his pupil, by rewarding him the 

 instant he grasps the idea, to spring from one pair of 

 diagonals on to the other without moving forward 

 and with a well-placed head and neck ; the trainer 

 tapping the near hip as the near fore foot comes to the 

 ground, and closing the fingers on the reins at the same 

 time. If it is difficult to watch the near fore foot the 

 trainer can touch the off side of the croup with the 

 whip as the near hind foot comes to the ground, but he 

 must be careful to ease the right rein, so as not to bring 

 the weight on to the rising near fore leg. It is for the 

 left hand to send the weight on to the off fore leg as 

 the whip stimulates the off hind leg (diagonal aids). 

 If the horse does not bend his hocks sufficiently he 

 can be touched with the whip just below the hock as 

 the leg is coming forward. 



It is advisable to change the side on which we stand, 

 but it is not necessary to tap each hindquarter alter- 

 nately — as the fore foot of that side comes down — 

 though some recommend this, and it is easy to do so 

 with a whip five feet long. This is a splendid exercise 

 for perfecting the balance, and it should be given every 

 day, either on foot or mounted. The Passage is merely 

 forward movement in the Piaffer. 



Work on foot has its value in teaching the light 

 appropriate use of both the whip and the bit ; the whip 

 should, under all circumstances, be used lightly, and 

 if the horse kicks or strikes he should be scolded rather 



