90 ANGLO-FRENCH HORSEMANSHIP 



swishing of the tail * in the case of very sensitive horses, 

 to press in both legs, heels or spurs at the same time, 

 when the horse requires stimulating, and to convey 

 their wishes by alternate actions of the hands only. 



When the legs are the principal aid, their alternate 

 action should not be noticeable, and it must synchronise 

 with the placing of a fore foot on the ground, otherwise 

 it has not any eftect in developing the movement. The 

 hands should be kept as still as possible, with the wrists 

 pressed against the body ; the reins being stretched 

 so as to fix the horse's attention, and the fingers only 

 yielding to the natural extension of the horse's neck. 



As a general rule, however, the horse's fore legs must 

 learn to obey the indications of the hand, and the hind 

 legs those of the rider's legs and spurs, the hands and 

 legs working in accord. In the " Spanish Walk " the 

 hands are the principal aid, and for this reason Fillis' 

 method of holding the bridoon reins over the first 

 finger of each hand is very practical, the curb reins 

 being on the little finger of the left hand ; in the 

 " Passage " the legs have most to do with the develop- 

 ment of the movement ; in the " Spanish Trot " the 

 legs raise the hind legs, whilst the hands extend the 

 fore legs. 



In applying the aid of the hand one must be careful 

 not to throw the horse's weight over the rising fore leg 

 or the rising hind leg, i.e. when in the " Passage " the 

 horse is raising his off fore and near hind legs, if the 

 diagonal aids are used, the right hand can only help the 

 movement by drawing the reins towards the left 

 across the horse's neck, in front of the withers, as by so 

 doing it carries the weight on to the near fore leg without 

 affecting the near hind leg. If the lateral aids are used, 

 * Cf. the Passage, Chap. V. 



