264 Modern Riding and Horse Education 



that it is correct. Turning in this manner is not 

 only the most useful one for the rider, as the horse 

 pivots on the point of the turn, but when once 

 learnt it is the safest and easiest for the horse, and 

 is a good lesson in balance. Hayes seems to have 

 been opposed to it because he thought it likely to 

 irritate the horse in the early days of his training, 

 but by exercising great patience and gentleness the 

 trainer must prevent this. The polo pony is, of 

 course, useless unless he can turn on his quarters 

 at a gallop, and every other riding horse is safer 

 when he can do the same. 



The animal must learn to pivot on every leg, but 

 it comes natural to him to turn on his forehand 

 unless he is in a confined space; he therefore re- 

 quires more teaching to swing on his hocks. The 

 trainer should make use of the inclination of the 

 body to " fix " the pivot. 



Unless they are moving on a circle all horses when 

 cantering have a leading or favorite leg like human 

 beings : they should be taught to go on either, and to 

 change the leading leg readily either at the will of 

 the rider or when circumstances dictate it ; it is, for 

 instance, unsafe if a cantering horse suddenly goes 



