92 Manual of Equitation and Horse Training 



The horse is said to be on right shoulder-in (inside the 

 arc of the circle in which the spinal column lies) when he 

 marches bent to the right; he is said to be on the left 

 shoulder-in when he marches bent to the left. Whatever 

 be the direction in which one is moving the horse may thus 

 be placed and worked sometimes with the right shoulder-in, 

 sometimes with the left shoulder-in. 



The movement is executed by the command "Right 

 shoulder-in," "Straighten," "Left shoulder-in," "Straight- 

 en." To place horse in right shoulder-in, for example, and 

 to work him in the most favorable attitude, the shoulders 

 are moved off the line of march by the action of the right 

 rein (opening effect), strengthened by the leg on the same 

 side; the horse is in the first step of a turn. As soon as he 

 is in this oblique and circular position, the line of direction 

 previously followed is again taken up, all the while keeping 

 the horse bent and crossing. The right rein now becoming 

 a bearing rein of opposition acts in the direction of the left 

 haunch, has effect on the horse's whole body, which it bends 

 and pushes forward and to the left. The right leg acting 

 the least bit in rear of the girth aids in likewise moving the 

 haunches toward the left. The left hand after having 

 yielded limits the bend of the neck, strengthens the action 

 of the right rein, and also draws the forehand forward and 

 to the left; the left leg acts on the girth to keep up the for- 

 ward movement. 



This lesson gives the horse entire suppleness and great 

 freedom in all parts of the body. 



It brings about: (1) Freedom of the shoulders, obedi- 

 ence to the hand, and consequently lightness in the fore- 

 hand. (2) Suppleness of the haunches, obedience to the 

 leg, also engagement of the hind quarters. (3) Pliability 

 of the spinal column which gives harmony between fore- 

 hand and haunches. 



It leads to free play of the shoulders because when the 

 horse works vigorously while thus bent the right leg is 

 obliged to describe a movement of rotation and to lift 

 itself in order to pass in front of the left. 



It leads to agility of the haunches because the right 

 haunch is, on the contrary, obliged to lower itself in order 

 to allow the right hind to pass in front of the left hind from 

 which comes the desired engagement of the hindquarters. 



