32 NOTES ON EQUITATION. 



natural result of training. If a horse is not easily controlled 

 by the legs, is not well suppled in the shoulders and does 

 not know how to properly employ his haunches he can not 

 be really light. 



Not until later can perfect balance (or lightness if you 

 please) be obtained and then only by co-ordinating the dif- 

 ferent results of training. 



The Principle of Constant Tension on the Reins. Although 

 the instructor during the first weeks of training need not 

 concern himself with the lightness of the horse, he must 

 urge the troopers to keep a constant light tension (feel) on 

 the reins. At first the trooper must do the work, that is, 

 must tighten the reins, but later, the horse itself, having be- 

 come accustomed to the pressure of the bit and having 

 always present the idea of going straight ahead, will, of its 

 own accord, keep the reins taut. 



It is important to distinguish between pulling on the 

 reins and the principle of keeping a constant tension on the 

 reins. A hand too rigidly fixed, with fingers too firmly 

 (clasped, will oppose the free play of the neck and will be 

 contrary to the principle just stated. Therefore, in the leg 

 lesson when forcing the horse straight ahead, the hand must 

 not oppose the stretching of the neck; on the contrary, the 

 fingers should be slightly opened up so that nothing can 

 clash with the animal's intention to obey the aids. 



