Il8 ROAD, PARK, AND SCHOOL 



when the movement will be the finished low 

 pirouette. (Fig. 23.) 



In the pirouette proper, of which we shall treat 

 hereafter, the horse takes its weight upon the 

 haunches, and, raising the forehand in air, turns 

 upon the inner hind-leg as a pivot. The fewer 

 times that the fore-feet come to the ground in the 

 course of the wheel, the better the pirouette is per- 

 formed. 



The reversed pirouette is made from a halt by 

 bringing the horse ' in hand' and carrying the croup 

 about the forehand by means of the opposite heel, 

 while the direct snaffle rein, seconded by the out- 

 side curb rein, holds the forehand in place, and 

 bends the head towards the advancing croup. That 

 is, to make the reversed pirouette to the right, the 

 rider will bend the head of the horse to the right 

 by the direct action of the right snaffle rein, and by 

 carrying the left hand to the right, so that the 

 opposite or left curb rein supports the effect of the 

 snaffle. Then, by a pressure of the left leg against 

 the side of the horse, the croup will be urged about 

 the left fore-leg as a pivot. As the hind-legs step 

 about to the right, the right fore-leg must be brought 

 up to occupy its place in reference to the changes of 

 position of the rest of the mass, but the left fore-leg 

 must not be raised from the ground. The use of 



