THE FIGURES OF MANEGE 



the horse's action becoming higher and higher as 

 the stride is shorter and less quick. 



It is impossible to advise just when in the course 

 of the training to begin the walk of manege. It is 

 useless to attempt it before the horse has learned to 

 keep in equilibrium. It is well not to try for too 

 slow or too high an action, to study the horse, and 

 at the first sign of success, to yield everything, 

 caress, dismount, and stop the lesson. Two, four, 

 or six steps are sufficient at one time, and should be 

 followed by rest and distraction. 



Take special pains to prevent the two possible 

 irregularities, the acculer, or getting behind the 

 hand, and the "magpie jump." If either appears, 

 stop the practice of the figure and devote at least 

 fifteen days to sending the horse forward strongly 

 against the bit, equally and at the two hands. This 

 is the only cure for these irregularities or defenses. 



Take care not to provoke rearing or the croupade 

 by too much precipitancy in your demands. Rear- 

 ing will probably be caused by fingering in wrong 

 tempo; the croupade by beginning too early the 

 alternate effect of the legs, so that the signal to lift 

 one biped comes before the other is back on the 

 ground, and there is a brief interval when both are 

 on the ground. 



Do not expect to secure a perfect walk of manege 

 until after you have trained two or three horses. 

 Be satisfied at first with a few steps at the gait, and 

 occasional changes of direction. The great point 



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