OF THE PIAFFER. 99 



badly applied they would be rather injurious than useful. 

 The fit time for ceasing with the hands and legs is more 

 important still ; it demands all the rider's attention. 



The mobility of the legs once obtained, we can com- 

 mence to regulate it, and fix the intervals of the 

 cadence. Here again, I seek in vain to indicate with the 

 pen the degree of delicacy necessary in the rider's pro- 

 ceedings, since his motions ought to be answered by the 

 horse with an exactness and d propos that is unequaled. 

 It is by the alternated support of the two legs that he will 

 succeed in prolonging the lateral balancings of the 

 horse's body, in such way as to keep him longer on one 

 side or the other. He will seize the moment when the 

 horse prepares to rest his fore leg on the ground, to make 

 the pressure of his own leg felt on the same side, and 

 add to the inclination of the animal in the same direc- 

 tion. If this time is well seized, the horse will balance 

 himself slowly, and the cadence will acquire that eleva- 

 tion so fit to bring out all its elegance and all its majesty. 

 These times of the legs are difficult, and require great 

 practice ; but their results are too splendid for the rider 

 not to strive to seize the light variations of them. 



The precipitate movement of the rider's legs acceler- 

 ates also i\iQ piaffer. It is he, then, who regulates at will 

 the greater or less degree of quickness of the cadence. 

 The performance of the piaffer is not elegant and perfect 

 until the horse performs it without repugnance, which 

 will always be the case when the forces are kept to- 

 gether, and the position is suitable to the demands of 

 the movement. It is urgent, then, to be well acquainted 

 with the amount of force necessary for the performance 

 of the piaffer^ so as not to overdo it. We should, above 

 all, be careful to keep the horse rassemhU^ which, of it- 

 self, will induce the movement without efibrt. 



