TRAINING 115 



change of the paces which have been studied, the 

 rider must be carel'ul not to enclose Iiis horse between 

 the legs and the hand. The rule remains invariable 

 for the rider to keep his horse impulsise, and at the 

 same time obedient, by the right action of his hands 

 and legs. But, in proportion as the training advances, 

 these actions tend to draw together, and at times to 

 be simultaneous. The horse, thus balanced Ijetween 

 the legs and the hands, works in a sort of balance 

 with his neck and action high, that is to say, in a 

 state of collection. 



Collection in movement aims at shortening the 

 base of support of the horse, which then works on a 

 short base, which increases his mobility, whilst neces- 

 sarily reducing his speed. 



Whenever the rider wishes to return to an ex- 

 tended pace, he should cease to demand collection, 

 and let the impulsion pass forward ; at the same 

 time the neck extends itself, the pace increases, and 

 the horse again works on a long base. 



To oblige the horse, according to circumstances, 

 to work on a short or long base, to accustom him to 

 change from the most closely collected work to the 

 roughest country riding — in a word, to balance him- 

 self, is the aim of military horsemanship, and it is 

 to the attainment of this end that the changes of pace, 

 the increase and decrease of speed, with which we 

 have been dealing, tend. 



Observations on the paces. — One can gather from 

 the mechanism of the walk, the trot, and the gallop, 

 observations very useful in training. 



It is of the greatest use for the rider to know how 

 to start a pace at the command, and to maintain or 

 change it. Now, in the walk, and in the trot, the 



