The Legs. 59 



execute at a walk. First get your horse well 

 collected at a steady advancing trot ; and 

 then, by delicately increasing the pressure of 

 your hands, without ceasing that of your legs, 

 gradually shorten his pace until he correctly 

 executes at a halt the motions of a full trot. 

 This exercise is termed Piaffing. It is one of 

 great difficulty ; and its successful performance, 

 even by the best broken horse, requires un- 

 usual tact and skill in the rider. When you 

 can once make your horse piaff you may, by 

 persevering upon the same principles, induce 

 him to rein backwards, or to passage sideways, 

 at a full trot without changing his action. 



Until you are tolerably perfect in circling 

 and passaging at the walk and trot, or at all 

 events at the walk, you must not attempt to 

 work sideways at the canter or gallop. The 

 reason of this is obvious. A horse advancing 

 at the walk or trot works his legs diagonally 

 and moves square to the front, so that he can 

 swerve with equal readiness to either hand. 

 But a horse advancing at the canter or gallop 

 moves by a succession of strides or springs, in 

 each of which his fore and hind legs on one 

 side lead, and are followed by those on the 



