XXVII. 

 Function of the Legs. The Ic^rs act on the liind (luarl.TH. 

 Their business is to connnunicatc the rider'n will to thr 

 horse in order to move him straiglil to the I'mnt. to njake 

 him extend or increase liis gaits and to start him in move- 

 ments of all kinds. It is also their special business to con- 

 trol the haunches; to restrict them to the direction pursued 

 by the shoulders or to swing them in reference to the sh(»ul- 

 ders. Finally they are used to collect the horse by bringing 

 his hind legs closer to the center of gravity. 



To recapitulate, the legs have three effects: 



1. To produce a forward movement. 



2. To swing the haunches in reference to the shnuhhrs. 



3. To bring the hind legs under. 



The simultaneous action of both legs produces a iloublc 

 pressure to which the horse should respond by moving to 

 the front. 



The action of a single leg, while it incites motion, forces 

 the weight of the hind quarters toward the opposite sitle. 

 Thus, for instance, if the rider closes his left leg, he pro- 

 duces two effects: a general forward movement of the mass 

 and a right lateral movement of the haunches. 



Unison of the Legs. Whenever one leg acts to swing tlu- 

 haunches, the opposite leg must receive the mass in order 

 to limit and rectify the movement. The legs, therefore, 

 should always be close enough to the horse to act without 

 sudden jolts and to lend mutual assistjince. 



A horse is in the legs, when he obeys at tlie slightest 

 indication and when the gentle closing of the calves is sulli- 

 cient to make him move out boldly to the front.* 



♦ In the U. S. Cavalry Drill Regulations a horwe is described 

 as ''Irq wise when he obeys the lightest correct eombined 

 action of the rider's legs." Althou-h this dettnitioi. is al- 

 most identical with the first (clause of the detinition of "ni 

 the legs" as given in this text, ilie second clause estab- 

 lishes the difference in meaning To ,ni<lr,.st(n,il a signal 

 is one thing, to be rradji fu nmrr at the signal, is an..»h.-r 



(So) 



