62 NEW METHOD OF HORSEMANSHIP. 



slight touch is sufficient to place and keep the head in 

 a perpendicular position, it will prove that the suppling 

 is complete, contraction destroyed, lightness and equili- 

 brium established in the fore-hand. The direction of this 

 part of the animal will, henceforward, be as easy as it is 

 natural, since we have put it in a condition to receive all 

 our impressions, and instantly to yield to them without 

 effort. 



As to the functions of the legs, they must support the 

 hind-parts of the horse, in order to obtain the ramener, 

 in such a way that he may not be able to avoid the effect 

 of the hand by a retrograde movement of his body. This 

 complete getting in hand is necessary to drive the hind- 

 legs under the centre. In the first case, we act upon the fore- 

 hand ; in the second, upon the hind-parts ; the first serves 

 for the ramener^ the second for the rassemhler^ or gather- 

 ing the horse.* 



Combination of effects. — I published four editions of 

 my Method, without devoting a special article to the 

 combination of effects. Although I myself made' a very 

 frequent use of it, I had not attached sufficient import- 

 ance to the great necessity of this principle in the case 

 of teaching ; later experiments have taught me to con- 

 sider it of more consequence. 



The combination of effects means the continued and 

 exactly opposed force of the hand and legs. Its object 

 should be to bring back again into a position of equili- 

 brium all the parts of the horse which leave it, in order 

 to prevent him from going ahead, without backing him, 

 and vice versd : finally, it serves to stop any movement 



• The full insauiug of the word rassennbler will be understood after reading 

 the chapter, further on in this work, under that head. With reirard to the 

 other word, ramener, to avoid the constant circumlocution of saying, " placing 

 the horse's head in a perpendicular position," it will be used in future 

 Trherever it occurs.— Translator. 



