242 MOUNTED BREAKING. 



this faulty sequence were adopted when going to the right, 

 the horse would be false and disunited. The reverse of 

 this would, of course, apply to the left circle. When riding 

 a horse at a canter or gallop, we can easily find out with 

 which leg he is leading, from the fact that the leading 

 shoulder is more advanced than the non-leading one, and 

 that our knee which is on the side of the leading leg is 

 carried more to the front than the knee of the opposite side. 

 Before beginning work at the canter, I think it well to 

 repeat the long rein practice on foot for teaching the horse 

 to strike off from the walk or trot into the canter with the 

 proper leg leading (see page 203). When he does this 

 readily, we may mount him and take him at the canter to 

 the right and also to the left on the same circle which we 

 used with the long reins. The drawn-back outward leg, 

 aided if necessary by the spur, will replace the outward 

 long rein for preventing the hind-quarters from being 

 carried outwards when circling or turning. As the presence 

 of a rider in the saddle increases the proportion of weight 

 borne by the fore legs, we should lean our body a little 

 back. To preserve the bend of the head and neck in the 

 direction in which the animal is going, we should depress 

 the inward hand and carry it a little inwards ; the outward 

 hand (see page 229) being somewhat raised, and also carried 

 a little inwards. As an indication, and as a necessary 

 adjustment, we should lean our body a little inwards. An 

 additional indication may be supplied by the touch, on the 

 shoulder, of the inward foot, which may be kept in an 

 advanced position for this purpose. We may teach the 

 horse to lead off, from the walk or trot, into the canter withi 



