The Canter. 133 



but the hand kept up, and every cadence felt of 

 the fore feet coming to the ground. 



Beginners cannot be expected at first to know 

 when the horse takes the proper leg: practice 

 alone must give them that knowledge. If the 

 rider, however, take the proper position, and if 

 the horse go off smoothly, and continue the croup 

 in, she may reasonably suppose him right ; but on 

 the contrary, if the horse appear to resist these 

 aids, and the croup be out and the shoulders in, he 

 will, most likely, be false. 



It is natural with beginners, to suppose that the 

 faster they ride, the better they ride ; but, how- 

 ever gratifying the riding fast may be, there is 

 more skill displayed in keeping up an animated 

 action in the gallop, at the rate even of three 

 miles an hour, than at that of twelve or fifteen 

 miles an hour. The attention of the pupil should 

 therefore be, to keep up the animation and action 

 of the gallop, without going fast. If the anima- 

 tion fail, or the action be not supported by the 

 hand, the horse will break into the trot, particu- 

 larly as the gallop is shortened or united. 



The perfection of the gallop consists in the 

 suppleness of the limbs, the union of the horse, 

 the justness of the action, and the regularity of 

 the time. 

 12 



