THE SPANISH AND THE FLYING TROT 



severe exertion. The suppleness of the well-ca- 

 denced and regular movements is very apparent, 

 and the horse behaves as if it liked the action. But 

 when the equilibrium is absent, then the exertion 

 is very evident. The entire body is stiff. The gait 

 is wearying to the animal, so that it must be sent 

 against the bit by the attack of the spurs. These, 

 in turn, drive it forward so violently that the bit 

 has to act with strong effect, in order to raise the 

 front legs and prevent the action from being for- 

 ward instead of high. The proficient esquire does 

 not regard this last form of the Spanish trot the 

 perfection of the air. But the beginner is, of course, 

 quite satisfied with it, until after he has trained 

 three horses. Only after he is sure of obtaining the 

 Spanish trot at all, does he begin to see that there 

 is also quality in the work and to try to secure that. 



There are also other methods of obtaining the 

 Spanish trot. One of these is based on the system 

 for the Spanish walk in which the trainer on foot 

 touches the horse's shoulders alternately with the 

 whip. The walk being learned by this means, the 

 trainer accelerates the movement, until with prac- 

 tice the horse breaks into a gait which has the ca- 

 dence and height of the Spanish trot. But since 

 the whip acts on the front hand only, although the 

 fore legs lift high enough, the hind legs drag upon 

 the ground with neither action nor elevation. 



Another method is still less scientific. Straps are 

 attached to the pasterns of the front legs. Each of 



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