62 



The resistance offered by the horse to the impressions of the bit 

 "which is commonly termed the hard mouth, but which originates in 

 the stiffness of the neck and its connection -with the head, is thereby 

 broken and the forehand is under the control of the rider. 



The obedience and sensibility to the aids of reins is further secured 

 by giving the horse's head a lateral position to the rig-ht or left, suffici- 

 ently to bring- the eye and nostril of one or the other side in view of the 

 rider. In doing this the vertical position of the head must be main- 

 tained and the lateral position limited to a bend of the articulation 

 bet^ween the atlas and the dentata, which is caused by an increased 

 pressure upon either rein, while the other resists sufficiently to prevent 

 a bend of the neck or a motion of the horse to the right or left. 



It remains now to demonstrate the effect of the riders leg upon the 

 flank other than for the purpose of urging the horse to go and the pupil 

 will cause the hindhand to recede a few steps from the right and left 

 leg alternately, preventing the horse from starting at the same time by 

 sufficient restraint with the reins, keeping the horse's neck firmly en- 

 closed between both reins. 



We shall enter thoroughly upon the details of the above when the 

 pupil will have advanced sufficiently to give his attention chiefly to the 

 guidance of the horse in its more refined phases. 



Equipped with a good understanding of the aids and their applica- 

 tion taught so far, the pupil -will now continue the exercises of balance, 

 not only upon straight lined but also in the execution of a few simple 

 evolutions requiring changes of direction. 



All evolutions which the pupil is called upon to perform in a walk, 

 both for the pvirpose of balance and guidance, must be executed with a 

 view of being repeated in a trot and in a galop, and therefore the pupil 

 should be prevailed upon to apply the aids conscientiously and to exer- 

 cise as much care in the most simple as in the more difficult lessons. 



The first turns which present themselves to the pupil are the four 

 corners of the ring which must now be entered into and passed through 

 correctly. About two horse-lengths before the corner the step of the 

 horse is too shortened nnd the natural inclination of the horse to cut the 

 corner is to be overcome Dy holding the inside rein more firmly against 

 the neck and by an increased tension on the outside rein. The pull 

 which is thus caused on both reins would tend to slacken the tempo of 

 the walk, and for this reason we urge the horse by repeated pressure 

 of the inside leg, which is to be continued throughout the turn. We 

 have now arrived at the corner and turn the horse Dy giving increased 

 pressure to the inside rein through a closing of the hand and a bend in 

 the wrist so that the little finger of the inside hand points downward, 

 backward and toward the wall, at the same time pressing gently with 

 the outside rein against the neck, raising for that purpose the outside 

 hand above the inside one. 



The outside leg performs during the turn the duty of preventing 



