77 



Lecture VI. 



LATERAL GAITS. 



Evolutions during' which the front leg's of the horse are folio-wed in 

 their tracks by the hind legs, be it in a -walk, trot or galop are termed 

 gaits upon one or upon a single track. 



Lateral gaits are executed by the motion of either fore or hindhand 

 going on a second track, -which lies parallel -with the other and one step 

 in-ward of the same toward the center of the ring. The lateral gaits 

 are therefore also termed gaits upon two or upon a double track. As 

 stated before, the purpose and aim of lateral gaits is : 



A. for the horse: the increased flexibility of such joints and articu- 

 lations as tend to give elasticity, spring power and grace to the animal. 



The development of freedom in shoulder action and the action of 

 the hind limbs. The obtaining of perfect understanding and response 

 to both the aids of reins and legs in their respective functions of giving 

 position and flexion, and in urging the horse. 



The maintenance of a perfect equilibrium -with the center of gravity 

 shifted upon the haunches during the motions forward and sidewise. 

 The preparation of the horse for evolutions, the nature of which make 

 the obedience and proficiency of the horse in the lateral gaits con- 

 ditional. 



B for the rider : The creation of the finest feeling and sense of touch 

 required to measure the various impressions by aid of which these 

 evolutions are exacted from the horse and which must be in perfect 

 harmony to insure the correctness of the lesson, as to tempo, carriage 

 position, flexion, balance, and direction of movements, the correct distri- 

 bution of the riders weight, over the body and into the motion of the 

 horse in both directions forward and laterally. 



The lateral gaits are : "shoulder in" to the right. The horse stands 

 on the outer track parallel with the wall. As in all evolutions the first 

 step to be made is to collect the horse. 



Then its forehand is guided upon the inner track by moving it one 

 step from the -wall toward the center of the ring. 



Position of the head and flexion of the neck to the right is then given 

 and the horse made to recede from the pressure of the inside leg while 

 the rider prevents the falling out of the hindhand of ,the horse by a 

 pressure behind the girth -with the outside leg. 



The "travers" or croup resembles the shoulder in as much as the 

 position and flexion of the horse remain the same ; but in this lesson it 

 is the hindhand which by a pressure with the outside leg is brought 

 upon the inner track, the horse receding from the pressure of the same 

 while the inside leg applied further forward, on the girth, urges the 

 horse forward and prevents it from going sidewise at too great an 

 angle to the wall. 



. If the travers to the right is carried diagonally from the right to 

 the left hand and continued thereon it becomes "Renvers" to the right 

 or contra travers to the left. 



