THE SCIENTIFIC EQUITATION 



legs or spurs, touch the shoulders with the whip in 

 proper sequence. Thus the rider raises first one 

 hand and then the other to secure the extension of 

 the corresponding leg, and the trainer on foot sup- 

 plements this effect by touches of the whip. In this 

 manner, any quadruped can be taught the Spanish 

 walk elephant, cow, donkey. A great many such 

 creatures have, in fact, been exhibited. But, as 

 Fillis says, a horse doing the Spanish walk is only 

 mechanized to execute grimaces with its front legs 

 while the hind legs drag on the ground. All the 

 work has been directed at the front legs to the com- 

 plete neglect of the hind hand. (" Why-Not" and 

 " Pierrot " at the Spanish walk, Figures 30 and 31.) 

 Masters of the scientific equitation object to the 

 foregoing method of obtaining the Spanish walk. 

 Their principles admit teaching this gait only when 

 the horse is mounted, and without any use of the 

 whip. Unfortunately, grand masters of equitation 

 are not born grand masters; and there is not one of 

 us who, at the beginning of our careers, has not 

 spent years over 'the Spanish walk, on foot, with 

 whip, assistant, and the rest. After long and assid- 

 uous labor, we find it simple enough to obtain the 

 air mounted, without preparatory work on foot. 

 Of course it is simple for us now. But it was not so 

 simple fifty years ago; and we were proud enough 

 of the first horse that we put through the Spanish 

 walk. I say this in order to encourage the young. 

 When they have had the experience of grand mas- 



256 



