54 NOTES ON EQUITATION 



If, instead of backing slowly and step by step, the 

 horse hurries the movement and is about to come down up- 

 on the haunches, the trooper promptly stops all action of 

 the hand* and corrects the horse by attacking him vigor- 

 ously with the legs or with the spurs to push him forward 

 again. 



This Exercise to be Insisted Upon in What Cases? Backing 

 is a suppling exercise for the back as well as the haunches, 

 and it is an indispensable movement for the saddle horse. 

 Yet it should not be abused, particularly in the early stages 

 of training, as resistance will eventually be developed. 

 Moreover, it is not suitable for all horses indiscriminately 

 but should be used especially for those that have difficulty 

 in bringing the hind legs under or that have too much 

 weight on the forehand. 



Individual Work. (At will.) Nearly all instructors have 

 the bad habit of grouping young horses too much. The 

 greater part of a drill is devoted to work with fixed dis- 

 tances, which gives the horses the idea of sticking in ranks. 

 We have already said that it is better to work without re- 

 gard to distances. And from the verj^ beginning it is also 

 essential to execute all movements in both directions and 

 at will. If, in addition, we give a few outdoor rides in pairs, 

 the young horses will become quiet free movers and the re- 

 mainder of the training exercises will be that much easier. 



Condition of the Horse at the End of the Work in the Snaffle 

 Bridle. At the end of instruction in the snaffle bridle, the 

 horse should be willing on the road and tranquil in the rid- 

 ing hall. He executes correctly the movement of haunches 

 in, shoulder in and two track work at a walk and at a slow 

 trot. He takes up the gallop easily on either foot by in- 

 creasing the gait from the trot. He has found his balance 

 while moving freely to the front, a double condition which 

 is satisfactorily fulfilled if he keeps the reins taut without 

 * As a matter of fact the trooper has probably lost all action 

 of the hand because in this faulty movement tlie horse is 

 invariably behind the bit. 



