THE SCIENTIFIC EQUITATION 



the hand. Little by little, the weight of the horse's right 

 leg will be carried upon the left, and the first [the right] 

 leg will quit the ground'' 



Fillis teaches exactly the same principles and the 

 same means. My procedure also is precisely like 

 that of the two grand masters. For although there 

 is always the difference that they ask the movement 

 simply as a movement, while I employ it only as a 

 gymnastic exercise and a means to something else, 

 yet our methods of obtaining the action are the 

 same. 



But the point I am aiming at is to show that 

 Baucher and Fillis teach that the partial flexion of 

 the head to the right unloads the right front leg, 

 and, of course, loads the left. But why is the head 

 carried to the right to unload the right leg, which 

 is the pivot and support in such different movements 

 as shoulder-in, change of direction, and others; and 

 why is the head carried to the left to load the right 

 shoulder in order to obtain the gallop on the right 

 lead? When we ask the energetic action of one of 

 our own members, so far as we can, we unload it. 

 To kick the ball with the right foot, we put all the 

 weight of the body on the left. Then with the 

 right " there she goes " ! But to load a limb from 

 which we ask energetic action, is a curious kind of 

 logic or science. 



Every experienced riding-master will keep re- 

 minding his students that there is a point in the 

 educational progress of every horse, where the ani- 



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