Manual of Equitation and Horse Training 83 



rise to certain resistances that may come from physical 

 defects — blemishes and weakness — or from nervousness 

 occasioned by awkward or misunderstood demands. 



The principal seats of resistance are the haunches, the 

 spinal column, the shoulders, and the mouth. 



Whether the cause of these resistances be moral or 

 physical, it is by rational gymnastics directed to the several 

 parts of the horse's body that one succeeds in suppling and 

 strengthening the joints and muscles. 



Certain movements lend themselves more particularly 

 to suppling of certain parts; the instructor regulates their 

 use according to the end in view. 



To obtain engagement of the hind quarters and mobility 

 of the haunches. — The haunches are the seat of impulsion ; 

 at the same time they form a sort of rudder in the changes 

 of direction. 



The mechanism of impulsion resides in the play of the 

 hip joints. It is this articulation which, in more or less 

 closing, leads the hocks to engage under the mass, allows 

 the horse to embrace more or less ground in accordance 

 with the energy of extension of the propellers. 



The movement of engaging under the mass leads to a 

 lowering of the hindquarters — a position very favorable to 

 rapid changes of direction. 



The croup should also be able to move quickly in a 

 lateral direction. But from his constitution the horse can 

 only execute the movement by passing the right hind, for 

 example, in front of the left hind; here again the horse 

 must lower his croup, and draw his hocks under the mass. 



The movements which permit us to obtain this en- 

 gagement and this mobility of the haunches are: Starts 

 and halts, extending and collecting the gaits, backing, the 

 demi- volte and demi- volte reversed with great collection, 

 the false gallop, the broken line, and the circle. 



Extending and collecting the gaits. — This work includes: 

 Being at the walk : Slow walk, extended walk ; from the 

 slow walk to move at the extended walk, and inversely. 



Being at the trot: Slow trot, trot, and extended trot; 

 changing from slow trot to extended trot and inversely. 



Being halted: Walk and halt, extended walk and halt. 



Being at the walk: Take up the extended trot; halt 

 from the extended trot. 



