BACKING AND THE PIROUETTES 



still. It does not yet understand how to move 

 its weight on its feet, and at the same time, to re- 

 main in hand. The grand masters have, therefore, 

 spoken of the direct and reversed pirouettes as the 

 mobilization, respectively, of the front and hind 

 hands. 



' THE REVERSED PIROUETTE 



IF the horse has been given the work with the 

 trainer on foot, already described, the reversed 

 pirouette should also be taught on foot. If the 

 training is done in a manege, the animal should be 

 in the center of the ring. I shall discuss first the 

 reversed pirouette in lateral from right to left. 



The trainer stands on the horse's right, between 

 head and shoulder. The right hand holds three 

 reins, two from the bit, with the little finger 

 between them, and the right snaffle rein, which 

 passes from the thumb to the little finger. But the 

 snaffle rein is held shorter than the rest. The whip 

 is held in the left hand, with the lash near the 

 horse's right flank. 



By means of the reins from the bit, the trainer 

 holds the horse in hand, and at the same time, with 

 the snaffle rein, he obtains a partial lateral flexion 

 to the right. He calms the animal by his voice, and 

 still keeping the "in hand/* he keeps touching the 

 right flank lightly with the whip. 



Commonly, at this, the horse will either back or 

 raise the right hind leg. If the horse backs, the 



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