Side Step of Hind Feet. 127 



both hands for these exercises. At all times, in- 

 deed, it is well that a horse should be kept ac- 

 quainted with the feel of the two hands. In 

 many respects, and for many purposes, I am an 

 advocate of two hands in riding. Do not misun- 

 derstand me on this point. My plea is for such 

 education that one hand may suffice for all needs, 

 when the other can be better employed than with 

 the reins ; but I myself often use both my hands, 

 perhaps even half the time. 



Nelly being collected, gently press one foot 

 towards her flank, if need be till the spur touches 

 her. She will naturally move away from it by a 

 side step with her hind feet. You should have 

 kept her head so well in hand that she will not 

 have moved her fore feet. So soon as she makes 

 this one side step, stop and caress her. Try once 

 more with the same foot. Same result, and you 

 will again reward her with a kind word. Do not 

 at first try to make her take two steps consecu- 

 tively. If you do so, she may, having failed to 

 satisfy you with one step, and imagining that you 

 want something else, try to step towards the spur 

 instead of away from it, and you will have thus 

 lost some ground. A horse argues very simply, 

 and if one course does not seem to comply with 

 his rider's will, he almost always and at once tries 

 the other. After a few days, you will find that 

 Nelly will side step very nicely, one or two steps 



