114 CAVALRY HORSEMANSHIP 



pace, the hands should be eased without the horse 

 altering his balance. It is by these alternate mani- 

 festations of submission, and these periods of liberty, 

 that horses become light in hand and always keen. 



The movements of the walk and the halt, as well 

 as the lengthening and slackening of the pace, 

 should be carried out with young horses in such a 

 way as to promptly and clearly establish this under- 

 standing between the rider and the horse, and they 

 suffice nearly always to bring about that light con- 

 nection indispensable to the changes of pace and 

 direction, and, consequently, to the extension and 

 draAving in of the neck necessary to movement. 



But, wdth certain horses, who get behind the bit, 

 fear the hand, or are ew^e-necked, sj^ecial exercises 

 are necessary, which require tact and patience, in 

 order to get control of the play of the neck, and to 

 place on the shoulders the weight they ought to carry. 

 It is by working on a circle with impulsion, in alter- 

 nating the effect of each bit, by mobilizing the fingers, 

 and by vibration of the reins, that the rider succeeds, 

 little by little, in getting the horse on the hand, then 

 to taste the bit, and lastly to extend his neck either 

 forwards or to the side. One must not confound the 

 extension of the neck, which is a slow progressive 

 action, with the movement of the horse which plunges 

 forward suddenly and snatches at the reins ; nor 

 with the immediate and complete abandonment of 

 the reins, accompanied by the easing of the legs, 

 which follow the proper execution of a movement : 

 the first is a defence which must be defeated at once, 

 the second is the reward and rest, which the obedient 

 horse deserves. 



Balancing. — In the extension, slackening, and 



