THE REASONED EQUITATION 



rider's legs. One often hears a master say, "This 

 horse is not enough forward, " meaning that the 

 animal is behind, not upon, the rider's hand. 



Of the two equestrian axioms, straight and for- 

 ward, this is the more important, since it is easier 

 to have the horse straight when going forward than 

 when standing still. It is from this state of forward- 

 ness that everything else becomes possible; so that, 

 very often, even after a horse is far advanced in its 

 training, it has to be carried forward again, before 

 its education can be continued successfully. From 

 the beginning of the equestrian art, by the oldest 

 masters, this state of forwardness has been com- 

 mended. I am, therefore, of the opinion of Fillis, 

 who reiterates, "Forward, again forward, always 

 forward." One may turn the rudder of a boat as 

 much as he likes, but if the boat has not way, 

 the rudder is without effect. It is the same with a 

 horse; first forward, then direction. 



Unfortunately, it is very much easier to keep 

 the fore hand straight and forward by the natural 

 tact given to a man's hands than to develop in his 

 legs the purely artificial tact which comes only with 

 long practice. Nevertheless, a horse is neither 

 forward nor straight, when anything is wrong or 

 crooked at the coupling. 



THE REIN OF OPPOSITION 



BOTH the reasoned and the scientific equitation use 

 the term, "rein of opposition," to mean whatever 



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