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CHAPTER XII. 



PACES, VICES, AND FAULTS. 



Cantering is a very nice pace for park or road riding, 

 when the ground is soft, and not cut up by stones. A 

 trained horse will start from a walk to a canter at a very 

 slight indication from his rider, but surmising (as in the last 

 chapter) that you have accepted the loan of a somewhat 

 unmannerly or not sufficiently educated mount, you must 

 induce him to canter by collecting him well on his haunches 

 (from which the motion is in reality performed), touching 

 him with the whip on the off side, and drawing his head 

 gently round to the near until he makes a start. When he 

 does so, balance yourself in time to his movement, and use 

 the bridle lightly, with a very slight give-and-take motion 

 of your hands. Do not allow him to get into a gallop ; but, 

 at the same time, remember that it will be cruel to keep 

 him cantering too long, especially unless you permit him to 

 change his leg, for which purpose you must pull him quietly 

 up, and reverse the movement by which, in the first instance, 

 you have urged him to go off. A slow, handsome canter, 

 collected and dignified, looks extremely well no doubt in 

 the park, but it is terribly trying to a horse when kept up 



