SCHOOL RIDING 271 



bending, turning on the croup, and on the fore- 

 hand, the passage and reining back, and I think 

 they are all that are essential. Mr. John Swire, 

 a fine horseman himself and an enthusiast 

 whose book should be carefully read by all who 

 wish to acquaint themselves with the theory 

 and practice of High School riding, would have 

 the hack taught the Spanish Walk and Trot. 



In the Spanish Walk the horse places his 

 weight on one foreleg, raises the point of his 

 opposite shoulder, extends his leg horizontally and 

 puts his foot gently on the ground and as far 

 forward as possible, his leg remaining straight. 

 It is by no means easy to describe some of these 

 intricate movements but the Spanish Walk and 

 Trot are familiar to visitors at the Royal Rich- 

 mond and the International Horse Shows, and the 

 accompanying portrait of Mr. Vivian Gooch on 

 Bugle March gives a good idea of the Walk. I 

 quite agree with Mr. Swire that this is *'an ex- 

 cellent exercise for the shoulders, it strengthens 

 the forelegs and much improves the paces of 

 the horse ; it also brings him under the control 

 of the hand and leg, provided the rider always 

 insists on the horse raising the leg which the 

 aids indicate." Mr. Swire also points out that 

 it is an excellent exercise for a stumbler, which 

 may also be admitted. But in spite of all this 

 I would not advocate the Spanish Walk and 

 Trot being taught to the hack, and most certainly 

 not to the Hunter, and for this reason, that a 

 rider unversed in the methods of the School, 



