130 MODERN HORSEMANSHIP. 



practice he can shift the weights by muscular 

 movements in such a manner that he will not have 

 the appearance of having changed his position. 

 The less obvious the motions of the rider in con- 

 trolling the horse, the higher will be his skill. 



In giving the application of the spur to induce 

 the gallop or the gallop change, the rider should 

 bear in mind that the spur hastens the action of the 

 hind-leg upon the side of its application, demands 

 impulse from the planted legs, supports the action 

 of the opposite fore-leg, and tends to give the croup 

 a bend away from the spur. He should also 

 remember that from the trot the horse takes the 

 gallop by throwing the weights from a pair of 

 diagonally disposed legs upon the other fore-leg, 

 and by then bringing under the centre of gravity 

 the hind-leg opposite to this fore-leg which has 

 received the weights ; that the gallop change is 

 effected by demanding the change in the order of 

 the hind-legs as soon as they are free from the 

 ground, and that the spur should act before the 

 advanced hind-leg leaves the ground, to insure the 

 impulse from the hind-leg that has been taking the 

 advanced strides, to hasten the action of that leg, and 

 to make sure of the change being properly begun. 



