FLEXIONS OF THE CROUP. 59 



Tlie flexions of the croup^ and making it movable. — 



1. The rider will hold the curb-reins in the left hand, and 

 those of the snaffle, crossed, in the right, the nails of the 

 right hand held downward ; he will first bring the horse's 

 head into a perpendicular position, by drawing lightly- 

 on the bit ; after that, if he wishes to execute the move- 

 ment to the right, he will carry the left leg back behind 

 the girths and fix it near the flanks of the animal, until 

 the croup yields to this pressure. The rider will at the 

 same time make the left snaffle-rein felt, proportioning 

 the efiect of the rein to the resistance which is opposed 

 to it. Of these two forces transmitted thus by the left 

 leg and the rein of the same side, the first is intended to 

 combat the resistance, and the second, to determine the 

 movement. The rider should content himself in the be- 

 ginning with making the croup execute one or two steps 

 only sideways. (Plate XIII.) 



2. The croup having acquired more facility in moving, 

 we can continue the movement so as to complete to the 

 right and the left reversed pirouettes.* As soon as the 

 haunches yield to the pressure of the leg, the rider, to 

 cause the perfect equilibrium of the horse, will immedi- 

 ately draw upon the rein opposite to this leg. The 

 motion of this, slight at first, will be progressively 

 increased until the head is inclined to the side towards 

 which the croup is moving, as if to look at it coming, 

 (Plate XIV.) 



To make this movement understood, I will add some 

 explanations, the more important as they are applicable 

 to all the exercises of horsemanship. 



The horse, in all his movements, cannot preserve a 

 perfect and constant equilibrium, without a combination 

 of opposite forces, skillfully managed by the rider. In 

 * See note, page 63. 



