256 



treating on this matter, we have found no positive infor- 

 mation about it, and believe that it is not possible to give 

 rules for producing this result with certainty, under all cir- 

 cumstances; still there are very many riders who do it, al- 

 though they cannot clearly tell another person how it is to be 

 done, — just as expert swimmers, or skaters, perform with 

 ease feats of skill which they cannot teach to others, and 

 directions for which cannot be written. There is one 

 principle which is easily to be understood from the fore- 

 going instructions, which is, that a horse will, if properly 

 handled, lift that foot first on which there is the least 

 weight resting, and that if the preponderance of weight be 

 changed from one leg to another, the greatest action or 

 " leading " will be transferred to that on which the least 

 weight is bearing. There is a certain "knack "^ of thus 

 transferring the weight from one part of the horse's body 

 to another which cannot be described, but which may soon 

 be attained with practice. 



The nearest approach to a rul-e for making a horse lead 

 off with the right or left foot, at the pleasure of the rider, 

 is the following : 



To make the horse lead off with the right foot, get him 

 well in hand, with his head in an easy position, and his 

 hind legs well under his body and then bear the hand to 

 the left and give an increased pressure to the right leg. 

 This rule is not by any means infallible, but it is the best 

 to commence with, and the 3^oung horse-trainer will soon 

 learn to modify it, or, what is more likely, Avill soon acquire 

 a supreme contempt for all rules, and will establish a com- 

 munication with his horse ensuring his success. 



In the gallop, the horse will sometimes change his step 

 with the hind feet without changing in front ; he is then 

 said to be " disunited " in his gait. This is a habit of 

 which he may easily be broken by being always made to 



