THE SPANISH AND THE FLYING TROT 



leg forward. Therefore it follows that I want for 

 the piaffer all the rhomboideus possible, but not too 

 much of the mastoido-humeralis. In order for the 

 foot in the piaffer to return to the same spot from 

 which it was lifted, the horse must lift its fore leg 

 forward, but with flexed knee. Too much action of 

 the mastoido-humeralis will extend the leg so far 

 that I cannot call back the foot to the proper spot 

 and still preserve the speed and cadence of the trot. 



When I have secured the piaffer, I add the com- 

 plication of a very slow forward progress, and have 

 the passage. Then, having the passage, I give a 

 little more impulsion forward, by lifting my coccyx 

 out of the saddle, but not very far or too high, and 

 by shifting the center of gravity a little more for- 

 ward than for the passage. My horse, thereupon, 

 lifts its head a little higher and finds contact with 

 the bit. The two muscles concerned have now, to 

 an equal degree, their fixed points in the atlas re- 

 gion. The rhomboideus, continuing to act as before, 

 raises the leg. But the mastoido-humeralis, acting 

 more strongly, extends the leg forward, and I have 

 the Spanish trot. I still have the assemblage, but 

 under different conditions. 



The teachings of the grand masters for these 

 movements are very different from my own. They, 

 as I have explained, begin with the Spanish walk. 

 The horse's head and neck are up. The point of 

 contact is established. The two neck muscles act 

 together. The leg is raised and extended, stiff 



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