The Legs. 61 



You will occasionally find yourself mounted 

 upon an otherwise well broken horse which, 

 either from natural make or from long habit, 

 is very reluctant to strike a canter. In such 

 cases, you must have recourse to what is termed 

 lifting him a manoeuvre perpetually practised 

 by all experienced horsemen, but never, I be- 

 lieve, described or even noticed by writers 

 upon horsemanship. It is performed by 

 smoothly but vigorously giving and taking 

 the snaffle, while the horse continues to trot, 

 with the movement which your hands would 

 naturally adopt if he were cantering. Do 

 this steadily and perseveringly, neither jerk- 

 ing the horse's mouth so as to make him 

 throw up his head nor pulling at it so as to 

 shorten his pace, and he will very soon be 

 unable to prevent himself from falling into 

 the pace which you require. 



A horse is said to canter Disunited, when 

 he leads with opposite legs before and behind. 

 This way of going is both uneasy and unsafe, 

 and must be immediately corrected. If you 

 wish him to change with his fore legs, throw 

 the weight of his forehand upon the fore leg 

 which is leading, by carrying your hands to 



