HAl^DS A1<^T> LEGS. 61 



The horse will be accustomed to be brought to a stop 

 from the walk bj the rider raising the hand and leaning 

 back in the seat, and gently pressing with the legs to 

 bring under the forces of the croup. 



The horse standing, and in equilibrium, the rider will 

 induce him to bend his head and neck, first to one side 

 and then to the other; by the vibratory motion of the 

 direct curb-rein. Both legs will be kept close to the 

 sides of the horse to keep him steady, the opposite leg 

 being rather closer to overcome resistance and to prevent 

 a movement of the croup against it. The horse will not 

 be permitted to carry back his head, at will, from the 

 bent posture, but the rider will bring it back into posi- 

 tion by the rein opposed to that by which the movement 

 was begun. 



It only remains, for the present, that the horse should 

 be taught to bend the croup, at the application of the 

 heel, sufiiciently to put him into position for the gallop. 

 He will first be made to take a step with the hind legs to 

 the right by the application of the left leg, the right rein 

 playing with the mouth to remove the opposition of the 

 right shoulder. By inverse means the croup will be 

 moved a step to the left. In all movements of the croup 

 the legs should be held close to the horse, so that the 

 action produced by the one may be readily checked by 

 the other. 



