TRAINING. 117 



' shortened trot' the increased action takes place more 

 under the body than is the case where the increased 

 impulses are permitted to go into speed ; and the 

 movement is light, easy, and graceful. In it the 

 horse should be ridden in circles and in other 

 figures, as well as upon straight lines, and the 

 animal should be practised into going into ' the 

 union ' from ' in hand ' and back acrain ' in hand.' 



It will be understood that when the equilibrium 

 between the forces is perfectly established no 

 motion can take place in any direction, and this 

 union and balance of the forces is often necessary ; 

 for example, if the horse be advancing in the trot 

 upon a straight line, and the rider wishes to return 

 upon the same line, he will demand the equilibrium 

 of the forces, make a reversed pirouette, and resume 

 the trot back upon the path by which he has come 

 before the horse gets heavy or goes out of hand. 

 We shall call this equilibrium of the forces ' the 

 poise,' and it can be produced by putting the horse 

 into the ' shortened trot,' and then by uniting the 

 forces so closely that the animal comes to a momen- 

 tary halt. Before the legs that are flexed when this 

 momentary halt takes place are planted the heels 

 demand increased impulses, the hand gives sufficient 

 liberty for the horse to move forward, and the 

 shortened trot is resumed. This momentary halt. 



