THE SPANISH WALK 



an ordinary walk. Little by little, this walk is made 

 slower and slower. At this stage, the two move- 

 ments are asked together. The horse now moving 

 at the slow walk, the whip touches the point of the 

 shoulder precisely as when the animal was standing 

 still. Thereupon, very shortly, the horse extends 

 its left shoulder and executes the first step of the 

 Spanish walk. If now the trainer knows how, by 

 means of caresses and encouragements, to push this 

 first success, the horse will soon learn to walk with 

 extended fore legs. It is hardly necessary to add 

 that, throughout all this work, the two sides are 

 alternated and treated equally. 



After this work on foot has continued until the 

 horse is thoroughly confirmed in the gait, the 

 trainer mounts, and once more obtains the exten- 

 sion by touching the horse's shoulder with the whip. 

 When this much is done well and easily, standing, 

 the rider by means of his legs, sends the horse for- 

 ward at a slow walk. He then, with the whip, 

 touches the shoulder next the wall shortly before 

 the leg on that side has begun to lift. 



When the animal has learned to extend one leg 

 in proper cadence, the trainer reverses sides, and 

 trains the other leg in the same manner. 



The movement being executed by either leg 

 alone, the next step is to combine the two. Some 

 trainers, for this, use two whips, one on each side. 

 Others have an assistant mount, while they, on 

 foot, as the assistant sends the horse forward with 



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