THE SCIENTIFIC EQUITATION 



should at first rest satisfied with this concession. 

 After a time, the horse will hold its leg in the air. 

 If the horse paws the ground, prevent the action, 

 but do not punish. Pawing is merely a sign of im- 

 patience, which, however, must not be allowed to 

 become a habit. 



When the horse holds its two legs flexed equally 

 well, it has to be taught to extend them forward. 

 For this, the whip is brought to the point of the 

 shoulder, and the trainer perseveres in light, re- 

 peated touches until the bent limb is extended for- 

 ward. As soon as this occurs, the whip is no longer 

 applied at the first point, whatever that was, but 

 the touch at the point of the shoulder obtains both 

 the raising of the leg and its extension. 



The horse, having now reached the point where 

 it holds its leg extended, the next matter is the for- 

 ward step. For this, there are two devices. One of 

 these, adopted by Fillis, is to pull the animal forward 

 with the reins, and thus force it to set down its 

 lifted foot at a point corresponding to the extension 

 of the leg. This method is least satisfactory, be- 

 cause of the long time it takes to make the horse 

 comprehend what is wanted of it. 



The second method is easier and more immedi- 

 ately successful. The trainer, always facing back- 

 ward, reins in his left hand, whip in his right, and 

 keeping the horse's right side against the barrier, 

 chirps with his tongue, and touches the horse's left 

 flank with the whip, until the horse goes forward at 



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