ORDINARY PIROUETTE, 63 



self of the progress of his horse, seeking all the while for 

 means to increase the effects of his touch. 



Even while this work is in an elementary state, he will 

 make the horse execute easily all the figures of the man- 

 ege de deux pistes."^ After eight days of moderate exer- 

 cise, he will have accomplished, without effort, a per- 

 formance that the old school did not dare to undertake 

 until after two or three years' studying and working at 

 the horse. 



When the rider has accustomed the croup of the horse 

 to yield promptly to the pressure of the legs, he will be 

 able to put it in motion, or fix it motionless at will, and 

 can, consequently, execute ordinary pirouettes, f For 

 this purpose he will take a snaffle-rein in each hand, one 

 to direct the neck and shoulders towards the side to 

 which we wish to wheel, the other to second the opposite 

 leg, if it is not sufficient to keep the croup still. At the 

 beginning, this leg should be placed as far back as 

 possible, and not be used until the haunches bear against 

 it. By careful and progressive management the results 

 will soon be attained ; at the start, the horse should be 

 allowed to rest after executing two or three steps well, 

 which will give five or six halts in the complete rotation 

 of the shoulders around the croup. 



• " La piste is an imaginary line upon wliicli the liorse is made to walk. 

 WTien the Mnd legs follow the same line as the fore ones, the horse is said to 

 go dhine piste, or on one line. He goes de deux pistes, or on two lines, when 

 his hind legs pass along a line parallel to that traced by ;the fore legs."— 

 Bauc?ier''8 Dictionnaire d' Equitation. 



t " The pirouette is executed on the fore or hind legs, by making the horse 

 turn round upon himself, in such a way, that the leg on the side he is going, 

 acts as a pivot, and is the principal support around which the other three 

 legs move." — Baucher''s Dictionnaire d' Equitation. 



Pirouettes are either ordinary or reversed. In the ordinary pirouette, one of 

 the hind legs is the pivot on which the horse moves ; in the reversed, one of 

 the fore legs.— Tbanslator. 



