THE SCIENTIFIC EQUITATION 



It is what the public called with irony at Vienna, 

 pudel dressierung, the training of poodle-dogs!" 



The passage cannot be taught by this system. 

 It requires a progressive education, based on the 

 principles of the scientific equitation. A great many 

 persons are not able to obtain it for lack of the 

 perfect equestrian tact which inspires in the horse 

 the confidence, the energy, the excess of power 

 needed to make all his bodily mechanism move 

 with cadence and rhythm, and to preserve perfect 

 diagonal action, without the slightest interference 

 of hand, leg, or seat, since this would instantly de- 

 stroy equilibrium, and with it the rhythm, cadence, 

 and tempo. Certain horses, indeed, by their nat- 

 urally high and energetic action, do tend of them- 

 selves to execute the passage. But even these 

 should be given the same preliminary training as 

 the less energetic animals. Sometimes, also, the 

 action of the fore legs is high and correct enough, 

 while that of the hind legs is low and imperfect. 

 But the passage cannot endure mediocrity of ex- 

 ecution. That is painful to feel or to see. The air 

 is possible only when the perfected state of equilib- 

 rium can be kept by the horse during all the move- 

 ments of the progression of the scientific equitation. 



The horse needs for the passage, after his com- 

 plete education, soundness, developed muscles, the 

 proportions of a perfect conformation, energy, a 

 calm yet ardent nature. Most of all, it needs to be 

 mounted by a master with the artistic tempera- 



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