FLEXIONS OF THE CROUP. 375 



to the fore parts the qualities indispensable to their good man- 

 agement ; it remains to tell how we can in the same manner 

 fashion the hind parts, in order to give complete sup]>leness to 

 the horse, and bring about a uniform harmony in the develop- 

 ment of all his moving parts. The resistances of the neck and 

 croup mutually aiding one another, our labor will be. more 

 easy, as we have already destroyed the opposition of the 

 former. 



In order to teach the flexions of the croup, and to render it 

 movable, the rider will hold the curb-reins in the left hand, and 

 those of the snaffle, crossed, in the right, the nails of the right 

 hand held downward ; he will first bring the horse's head into a 

 perpendicular position, by drawing lightly on the bit; after 

 that, if he desire to execute the movement to the right, he will 

 carry the left leg back behind the girths and press it closely to 

 the flanks of the animal, until the croup yields to this pressure. 

 The rider will at the same time make the left snaffle-rein felt, 

 proportioning the effect of the rein to the resistance which is 

 opposed to it. Of these two forces, thus transmitted by the left 

 leg and the rein of the same side, the first is intended to com- 

 bat the resistance, and the second, to determine the movement. 

 The rider should content himself in the beginning with making 

 the croup execute one or two steps only sideways. 



The croup having acquired more facility in moving, we 

 can continue the movement so as to complete reversed pivot 

 motions to the right and the left.* As soon as the haunches 

 yield to the pressure of the leg, the rider, to cause the perfect 

 equilibrium of the horse, will immediately draw upon the rein 

 opposite to this leg. The motion of this, slight at first, will be 

 progressively increased until the head is inclined to the side 

 towards which the croup is moving, as if to look at it coming. 



To make this movement understood, I will add some ex- 

 planations, the more importimt as they are applicable to all the 

 exercises of horsemanship. 



The horse, in all his movements, cannot preserve a perfect 



* Pivot movements are of two kinds, when one of the fore legs remain perfectly 

 stationary as if nailed to the ground, and the hind legs are made to move around 

 them in a perfect, until the horse is standing in a reverse position, and vice versa, 

 when one of the hind feet are stationary and the fore feet traverse around them. 



