THE SCIENTIFIC EQUITATION 



for example, the horse is traveling along a piste, at 

 right hand, and near the wall. A change of direction 

 at the corner of the manege, followed immediately 

 by another, places the animal about three steps 

 away from the wall and facing toward what was 

 the rear. Thereupon, moving on a diagonal line, 

 the horse returns to the piste. 



The half -volte is, then, simple enough as a move- 

 ment of the ordinary equitation. It becomes de- 

 cidely complicated when performed as a figure of 

 the reasoned equitation. The rider, as above, em- 

 ploys the left diagonal effect to reverse the direction 

 of the horse's movement; and then immediately 

 changes to the right diagonal effect to return to the 

 piste by means of a half -passage of twelve steps at 

 the most. The formula is, therefore, for walk and 

 trot: left rein; right leg near the girth, to maintain 

 the hind hand for the about-face; then, when the 

 two changes of direction are complete, right rein, 

 left leg behind the girth, right leg near the girth, to 

 maintain the regularity of the forward action during 

 the half-passage. 



At the gallop, the means are still more compli- 

 cated. The horse is at the right hand and leading 

 to the right. The procedure is, therefore: right rein, 

 right leg near the girth, left leg behind the girth to 

 maintain the haunches during the turn; then, for 

 the half-passage, left leg behind the girth to push 

 the horse to the right. As the horse comes once 

 more to the piste, the action becomes: left rein and 



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