110 Manual of Equitation and Horse Training 



the fingers, and cause the extensions of the neck which 

 lead to power in the extension of the loin and later in the 

 action of the propellers. 



Summing up, with a trained horse, a steady gait is kept 

 by light hand and the play of the fingers, never allowing 

 the horse to pull. 



With a horse who fights the bit one must have a light 

 hand which always maintains the same passive tension on 

 the reins, or use the vibrations. 



With a horse who goes on his shoulders, the hand must 

 be firm and half halts must be used. In each case the legs 

 should be fixed, but passive. 



Finally, with horses behind the bit, one must seek the 

 cause and act accordingly, whether by energetic action of 

 the aids or by hygiene and work. 



Change of directions. — A turn is only the consequence 

 of a new objective which the rider proposes to reach. The 

 choice of a point of direction should, therefore, precede 

 the turn. 



In practice there are three ways of turning; a wide 

 turn, a short turn, a turn in place. 



A wide turn is executed in advancing on the arc of a 

 quite large circle; the rider has therefore room and time. 

 It is obtained by either the opening rein or bearing rein. 



The opening rein shows the horse the new direction; 

 the two legs push him in this direction ; this is the most 

 elementary of the turns in advancing. It is also that which 

 colts best understand; it must therefore be used not only 

 at the beginning of breaking, but also every time that the 

 horse resists the other effects of the reins (running out, 

 swerving around, etc.). 



For this turn to have its full effect it is of the utmost 

 importance not to annihilate the action of the determining 

 rein by a premature action of the regulating rein ; at the 

 begining of the movement, therefore, the opposite rein 

 must be greatly ceded. 



The turn by the bearing rein and the two legs is also a 

 turn in advancing. The weight of the neck leads the horse 

 in the new direction toward which both legs push him; it 

 is the turn most employed in riding out of doors. It is 

 also the only one which the rider having his reins in one 

 hand may use. 



