THE SCIENTIFIC EQUITATION 



these straps is held by a man, who stands some six 

 feet in front of the horse and facing it. Another 

 man, holding reins and whip, touches one shoulder 

 with the whip, while the man who holds the strap 

 pulls the corresponding foot off the ground and 

 holds the leg extended so long as the whip takes 

 effect. Then the sides are reversed. As soon as the 

 horse raises and extends its fore legs successively, 

 a fourth man is added. This latter from behind, by 

 means of a long whip applied to the hind legs, urges 

 the horse forward, while the two men in front alter- 

 nately pull the fore legs by the straps. 



Horses trained by either of these two methods 

 are stupid, stiff, inactive, made into machines. 

 They have the appearance of slaves, acting against 

 their will. These systems of training belong, of 

 course, solely to the circus. Neither of them is 

 recognized by the scientific equitation. 



The Spanish trot, done slowly and in cadence, is 

 considered the most brilliant of the horse's gaits. 

 The action is in complete accord with all the natural 

 powers of the animal; and though the height at- 

 tained is greater than in the ordinary trot, it is 

 nevertheless entirely possible to the mechanism 

 involved. The air, therefore, can most properly be 

 used as a gymnastic exercise for developing energy 

 and action; and is of special benefit to such horses 

 as are lacking in action, indolent, or given to trip- 

 ping and stumbling. All this, however, is on the 

 condition that the work with the Spanish trot is so 



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