OF THE PIAFFER. 189 



put at a walk, and the rider's legs, gradually 

 brought close, will give the animal a slight 

 increase of action. Then, but only then, 

 the hand will sustain itself in time with the 

 legs, and at the same intervals ; in order that 

 these two motive powers, acting conjointly, 

 may keep up a succession of imperceptible 

 movements, and produce a slight contrac- 

 tion which will spread itself over the whole 

 body of the horse. This reiterated activity 

 will give the extremities a motion, which 

 at the beginning will be far from regular, 

 since the increase of action that this new 

 exercise makes necessary will for the moment 

 break the harmonious uniformity of the 

 forces. But this general action is necessary 

 in order to obtain even an irregular mobility ; 

 for without it the movement would be dis- 

 orderly, and there would be a want of har- 

 mony among the different springs. We 

 will content ourselves, for the first few days, 



