SWERVING. 253 



than from a hind one, the movements of which are hidden 

 from his view. The pressure of the left leg, to be effective, 

 should be reserved as a signal for the near hind, and conse- 

 quently should not be continuous. The near fore leg will 

 cross the off fore leg (Fig. 203), because the head is bent to 

 the right ; more weight is placed on the off fore than on the 

 near fore ; and the pressure of the left leg serves as a stimulus 

 to the horse to go forward ; but as he is restrained from doing 

 so by the reins, he can answer this stimulus only by moving 

 to the right, to facilitate which action on his part, the aids 

 are applied in the special manner described. The inverse 

 aids are employed for the passage to the left. After the 

 horse has finished the passage, he should be placed in his 

 original direction by bringing his head and neck straight 

 by means of the reins, and by making him turn on his 

 fore-hand to the required extent by the drawn-back inward 

 foot, aided by the weight of the rider's body being brought 

 forward and inclined towards the outward shoulder. 



SWERVING. 



It often happens even with the steadiest of horses, that 

 when proceeding forward, the animal, from some cause or 

 the other, suddenly swerves off to one side, say, to the right. 

 In this case, if the rider wants to keep on in the original 

 direction, he should feel both reins and turn the horse's head 

 to the left in the manner already described, and should at 

 the same time apply the drawn-back left foot, with a touch 

 of the spur, whip or stick, if necessary, so as to make the 

 animal bring his hind quarters round into the original 

 direction. The aids will of course be reversed for a swerve 

 to the right. Badly broken horses when thus swerving will 

 often, in partial compliance with the pull of the reins, bring 

 the head round, without also altering, as they ought to do, 

 the position of the body. A cut of the whip, with the point 



