THE REASONED EQUITATION 



stop. After this work is thoroughly understood, the 

 same series is run through, from walk to trot, from 

 trot to walk, from walk to stop, from stop to walk, 

 from walk to trot, and so on. 



Progress thus far has accustomed the horse to 

 the touch of the spurs, and convinced him that 

 nothing will hurt and that there is nothing to fear. 

 We now complete the attacks. The horse is stand- 

 ing. The rider opposes with his hand and finds con- 

 tact with the mouth. The legs are closed, the spurs 

 near the girths. Then follows a delicate and re- 

 peated contact and release of the spurs, at the tempo 

 of an eighth-note. This continues until, by the flex- 

 ion of the lower jaw and the alto-axoid joint, the bit 

 loses contact with the bars, though the rider's hand 

 does not move. As soon as this flexion of the mouth 

 and head is obtained, the attack of the spurs ceases. 

 The bits again make contact ; the attack repeats as 

 before. 



In other words, your hand makes five degrees of 

 effect, and your attack with the spurs makes also 

 five degrees. Your two means are, therefore, equal. 

 The center of gravity comes exactly in the middle 

 of your seat and perpendicularly below your spinal 

 column. There is established an equilibrium of all 

 forces. Your horse is in the state of assemblage. 

 But if the center of gravity is under your spine, 

 while the horse is standing still, it is because your 

 body, from head to coccyx, is perpendicular. If, 

 now, that perpendicular is carried forward, the 



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