HORSE CONTROL 21 



the legs, the hands, and the weight of his body, in 

 order to bring about, make easy, or hasten the proper 

 execution of the required movement. 



1. Harmony between the legs acting together and both 

 reins acting together. 



The legs give the impulsion. 



The reins regulate the impulsion. 



The simultaneous action of both legs has tlie effect 

 of causing, maintaining, or increasing the forward 

 movement. 



The simultaneous tension of both reins limits the 

 forward movement, i.e. it decreases the pace, stops or 

 causes the horse to go backward. These two actions 

 are totally opposed to one another, and should never 

 be employed at the same time, under penalty of 

 destroying all impulsion. When the legs act to produce 

 an increase in the pace, the hands should yield, and 

 should resist if it is necessary to restrain the horse. 

 In the same way when the reins act to reduce the pace, 

 the legs yield, then resist, if it is necessary to limit the 

 slackening of the speed. 



To sum up, if it is a matter of reducing speed, 

 stopping, or of going backwards, the legs regulate the 

 movement when necessary, but they should not act 

 till the horse has commenced to stop, or if he stops too 

 suddenly. If it is a question of starting the walk, of 

 taking the trot, or of lengthening the stride, the reins 

 should be ready to resist at the right moment, to 

 regulate the pace, but they should not have any effect 

 until the horse has commenced to yield to the pressure 

 of the legs. When going straight forward the action 

 of the hands and the action of the legs are, therefore, 

 never simultaneous. It is evident that the better the 

 horse is trained, the more obedient he is, the more 



