EMPLOYMENT OF AN ASSISTANT. 3YT 



during the movement, but must remain close to the horse, and 

 hold him in place, while giving the same impulse from the rear 

 forward, which the other leg communicates from right to left, or 

 from left to right. There will thus be one force keeping the 

 horse in position, and another determining the rotation. In 

 order that the pressure of the one leg should not counteract 

 that of the other, and in order that thej be susceptible of being 

 used together, the leg intended to move the croup should be 

 placed further behind the girths than the other, which must be 

 put steady with a force equal to that of the leg which deter- 

 mines the movement. Then the action of the legs will be dis- 

 tinct, the one bearing from right to left, the other from the rear 

 forward. It is by the aid of the latter that the hand places and 

 fixes the fore legs. 



To accelerate these results, at first, a second person may 

 be employed, who will place himself at abreast with the horse's 

 head, holding the curb-reins in the right hand, and on the side 

 opposite that to which we wish the croup to traverse. He will 

 lay hold of the reins at six inches from the arms of the bit, so as 

 to be in a good position to combat the instinctive resistances of 

 the animal. Tlie rider will content himself with holding the 

 snaftie-reins lightly, and acting with his legs as I have already 

 directed. The second person is only useful when we have to 

 deal with a horse of intractable disposition, or to aid the inexpe- 

 rience of the man in the saddle ; but as much should be done 

 without assistance as possible, in order that the piactitioner may 

 judge for himself of the progress of his horse, seeking all the 

 while for means to increase the efficiency of his touch. 



Even while this work is in an elementary state, he will 

 make the horse execute easily all the figures of the manege of 

 two pistes. After eight days of moderate exercise, he will have 

 accomplished, without effort, a performance that the old school 

 did not dare to undertake until after two or three yeai-s of study 

 and work with the horse. 



When the rider shall have accustomed the croup of the 

 horse to yield promptly to the pressure of the legs, he will be 

 able to put it in motion, or keep it motionless, according to his 

 pleasure, and he can, consequently, execute all ordinary pivot 

 motions. For this purpose he will take a snaffle-rein in each 



