THE DIAGONAL EFFECT 



his hands to prevent this movement, the horse, 

 between these two forces, must concentrate its 

 native powers, and establish a center of gravity. 

 The result is equilibrium, that is to say, balance. 

 The effects of the legs are effects of impulsion. The 

 effects of the hands are effects of retention. Thence 

 arises the equestrian axiom: Equilibrium is the 

 consequence of effects of opposition. 



Suppose, then, that the horse is being main- 

 tained in equilibrium between ten degrees of im- 

 pulsion and ten degrees of opposition. If, now, 

 the impulsion is increased from ten degrees to fif- 

 teen, the opposition still remaining at ten, the 

 horse must move forward, with the condition of 

 equilibrium still maintained. 



Precisely here lies the difference between the 

 scientific equitation and the lateral or reasoned. 

 The former, to produce movement forward, keeps 

 the same opposition as before, but increases the 

 impulsion. The others cease the opposition, and 

 thereby allow the equilibrium to disappear. These 

 last cannot do otherwise. They are employing the 

 lateral effect only. Therefore, they cannot main- 

 tain the effect of opposition against a mechanism 

 which is driving itself forward by a diagonal action. 

 Only the diagonal effect can maintain opposition 

 while the animal moves in diagonal. 



The reader will note that it is always from the 

 fore leg involved that the right or left diagonal 

 biped takes its name. This, in my opinion, is a 



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