THE CANTER. 241 



loose. The knack (an easy one) of rising in the stirrups can 

 be learned only by practice. One should endeavour to time 

 the rise and fall of the body accurately with the movements 

 of the horse's fore legs. The up-and-down motion of the rider 

 should be only just sufficient to relieve the action of the horse, 

 for if exaggerated, it will unnecessarily fatigue him ; and it 

 should be performed in an easy and graceful manner. The 

 non-military rider should always rise in his stirrups at the 

 trot ; because it is fatiguing both to the horse and himself, as 

 well as un-English, to bump up and down. 



TO CANTER. 



The canter is a pace of more or less regular three time, in 

 which the footfalls are, when the off fore is leading: (i) near 

 hind (Fig. 17) ; (2) near fore and off hind (Fig. 19) ; and (3), 

 off fore (Fig. 21). After the off fore quits the ground, there 

 may or may not be a period of suspension (Fig. 25), which 

 will be terminated by the near hind again coming down. 

 When the near fore leads, the order will be reversed. When 

 cantering a horse in a circle to the left or turning him to 

 the left, which is much the same thing, the near fore should 

 lead ; and when he is going to the right, the off fore. In 

 a canter on a circle to the right (which will be in the same 

 direction as the hands of a watch proceed) or in a turn to the 

 right, the left leg or rein, as already stated, is said to be the 

 outward leg or rein ; and the right leg or rein, the inward 

 leg or rein ; and vice versa. 



When a horse is ridden at a canter on a circle or is being 

 turned, the tendency of his hind quarters is to be carried 

 outwards, because the preponderance of weight is on his 

 forehand. As experience teaches us that in such circum- 

 stances a horse will keep best in hand and safest on his legs, 

 when the hind feet follow in the track of the fore ones, we 

 may usefully employ the drawn-back outward foot for keep- 



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