THE REASONED EQUITATION 



ground about one foot to the left of the latter. As 

 it comes to rest, it takes the weight in its turn; 

 and the left fore foot, now unloaded, shifts still 

 farther to the left, passing behind the right. Once 

 more the left foot takes the load, and the right foot 

 crosses as before. (Figure 18.) 



Meanwhile, the hind legs have carried much of 

 the weight of the fore hand. They have not, how- 

 ever, remained fixed. As the shoulders, after the 

 first step of the right fore leg, travel toward the left, 

 the right hind foot also lifts, moves to the left, and 

 takes the ground in front of the left hind leg. Then, 

 as the right front leg begins its second stride to the 

 left, the left hind foot moves to a position two or 

 three inches forward and to the left of the right, 

 and takes once more the load. Again, as the left 

 front foot shifts to the left, the right hind foot 

 repeats its former movement to the left. This 

 makes two steps around the imaginary circle of 

 the pirouette. Repetition of these two continues 

 the turn from right to left to a complete about-face. 



Such is the mechanical motion executed by the 

 horse. At this point I ask of the anatomists and 

 masters of equitation, how is it that the pirouette 

 is anatomically possible, if the scapular and the 

 numerous are fixed to the thorax and the sternum, 

 and the only movement of the fore legs is forward 

 and back, without elongation? When the right fore 

 leg has passed across the left, if it cannot lengthen 

 before coming to the ground, then it can fall to the 



142 



