103 



Men from Kentucky may be seen to teach the horse the Spanish walk 

 "with spurs, attached to the toes of their shoes or with the whip 

 alone, giving no attention to the principle of bringing about the elevation 

 of the front legs and the forehand in general, by supporting it "with the 

 advanced hind legs and lowered haunches. 



High school performances which are the result of systematic, 

 thoughtful training and which in their perfect harmony between horse 

 and rider and fatiltless execution of every detail, suggest poetry and 

 music, and high school performances, which are but a mechanical imita- 

 tion, a parody of the former, should not be mistaken for one another. 



The last mentioned have upon the general public much the same in- 

 fluence as bad literature ; they mislead the mind, prevent the true con- 

 ception of really artistic eqitation and lower its ideals. 



jjust so long, as judges of high school riding at public horse shows, 

 are satisfied with ostentatious productions of Spanish walk and tricks, 

 giving little attention to purity of gait, evenness of cadence, fluency of 

 tempo, correctness of position, pronounced flexion; elegance of seat,refine- 

 ment and lightness of guidance and true collection and balance, just so 

 long will the masters and performers of high school riding stiffer from 

 the competition of trick riders, who upon thorough examination, may be 

 found ignorant of the very elements of the art of riding. 



