58 HORSEMANSHIP FOR WOMEN. 



LESSON XIII. 



THE TROT. 



Writers on the horse distinguish three kinds of trot, 

 viz., the "jog" trot, the " true" trot, and the " flying" 

 or "American" trot. In the first the feet remain lon- 

 ger on the ground than in the air, and lazy animals are 

 naturally fond of it, while spirited horses sometimes 

 drop into it from impatience of walking. It is, how- 

 ever, apt to be a slovenly gait, which, though easy to 

 the rider, should hardly be permitted. 



In the flying trot the horse leaps a considerable dis- 

 tance through the air at each stride — evidently a mode 

 of progression unsuited for ladies, who must attain 

 speed in trotting by quickening the step without undue 

 lengthening of the stride. 



Your first care will be to prevent your horse from 

 losing his " lightness," as he will be inclined to do at 

 every change of gait or increase of speed — and this, 

 while often by no means easy, is yet a task to be thor- 

 oughly accomplished if you wish for comfort or style 

 in the future. You will observe in trotting, as in all 

 other gaits, at each step a slight tug on the rein, called 



