SCHOOL BREAKING. 



to the tension of the reins or only slightly yielding them, 

 the animal will break into the trot ; and from the trot into 

 the canter. My readers, on referring to Fig. 3, will see 

 that at the moment when a fore leg is placed on the ground 

 during the trot, the hind leg of that side is off the ground, 

 and being ready to be brought forward, is consequently the 

 proper one to be stimulated to obtain collection. The same 

 remarks apply to the walk, except that the hind leg, say, of 

 the off side, quits the ground at a time when the off 

 fore is bearing a full share of weight and the near fore is 

 being brought forward (see Fig. 6) ; and vice versa. The 

 quicker the hind legs are brought forward at the walk, the 

 nearer will that pace assume the character of the trot. 



Having thus obtained a short, well-collected trot, we 

 should go on until we get it slow, lofty, in perfect time, and 

 with a slight pause when the knee is raised to its greatest 

 height. This form of cadenced trot is known in French as 

 le passage. By continuing the stimulating effect of the leg 

 and by increasing the restraining action of the hand, we 

 check the forward movement, and get the piaffer, which is 

 a high-actioned trot without gaining ground, or ie passage 

 S2ir place. For the passage and piaffer to be brilliant, there 

 should be a moment of suspension (all four feet off the 

 ground at the same time) between each step. In the 

 passage, there is necessarily more knee action tfian forward 

 reach. If when attempting the passage or piajfer, the 

 movements of the horse become hurried, he should be 

 halted, ''made much of," and collected afresh, so as to 

 give him confidence, without which it is impossible to make 

 him understand our wishes. Both the piaffer and passage 



