188 METHOD OF HORSEMANSHIP. 



the rassembler perfectly has all the necessary 

 qualifications for the piaffer. 



For the piaffer to be regular and graceful, 

 it is necessary that the horse's legs, moved 

 diagonally, rise together, and fall in the 

 same way, upon the ground, at as long inter- 

 vals as possible. The animal ought not to 

 bear more upon the hand than upon the 

 legs of the rider, that his equilibrium may 

 present the perfection of that balance of 

 which I have spoken in another place. 

 When the centre of the forces is thus dis- 

 posed in the middle of the body, and when 

 the rassembler is perfect, it is sufficient, in 

 order to induce a commencement of piaffer 

 to communicate to the horse with the legs a 

 vibration at first slight, but often repeated. 

 By vibration, I mean an invigoration of 

 forces, of which the rider ought always to 

 be the agent. 



After this first result, the horse will be 



