THE SCIENTIFIC EQUITATION 



HALF- PASS AGE 



THIS air can be asked of the horse only after it has 

 learned to cede from the neck at the effects of the 

 reins and from the haunches at the effect of the legs. 

 To obtain the movement, the horse, walking at left 

 hand, is first stopped, and then made to execute a 

 reversed pirouette, by means of the rider's right leg 

 and a quarter flexion of the head to the left by 

 means of the left rein. Thus, the horse's head stays 

 against the wall, while the haunches make a half- 

 circle to the left. This first movement is complete 

 when the horse has faced about and is at the right 

 hand. Immediately thereupon the rider caresses 

 the horse's right flank. The position of collection is 

 again asked, and the horse carried forward at right 

 hand. After a few steps, the animal is again halted 

 and put through the reversed pirouette from left to 

 right. 



In all this, the rider has to remember that the 

 employment of one of his legs does not mean the 

 complete cessation of the effect of the other, and he 

 has also always to bear in mind the principle, sine 

 qua non, forward, forward, always. Consequently, 

 when the reversed pirouette is asked from right 

 to left, the rider's right leg first sends the horse 

 forward. 



As soon as the horse understands the reversed 

 pirouette after being stopped, the rider has it exe- 

 cute the same movement without the stop. When 



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