Horse Training by Mode:rn Methods. 25 



giving or sustaining impulsion. This action should com- 

 mand the forward movement and its acceleration. To 

 obtain this result, the legs can act by simple pressure of 

 the knees or by pressure of the knees and calves. The 

 pressure of only the knees is sufficient with delicate 

 horses, l)ut with others the pressure of the calves has to 

 be added to that of the knees. The more energetic the 

 pressure and the farther behind the girths it is, the great- 

 er the result produced. Usually the action of the leg is 

 strong enough if it is placed against or a little in rear 

 of the girth. If the action there is not sufficient, it 

 may be carried back a little^ — never, however, to reach 

 an angle of 45 degrees. The perfection to aim at is to 

 have the leg move almost imperceptibly and vary its ef- 

 fects only by different shades of pressure; but with a 

 horse that does not respond sufficiently to the demands, 

 it becomes necessary to carr}^ the leg back a little by 

 bending the kn^e and keeping the heels low. The in- 

 clination of the leg to an angle of 45 degrees is the very 

 maximum, which it is unscientific and useless to pass or 

 even to reach, so that if the action of the leg is not ef- 



