THE PASSAGE BACKWARD 



three or four backward steps. When the horse 

 executes these calmly at the hand at which it was 

 first taught, change the lead and repeat the same 

 work at the new hand. Always keep the horse 

 straight and forward. Better work near the wall, 

 as this will aid in keeping the straight position. 



If the horse is to be completely educated in the 

 scientific equitation, it is better to teach the gallop 

 backward before the gallop on three legs. Other- 

 wise, the horse may give the gallop on three legs 

 when asked for the gallop terre-a-terre. You cannot 

 punish it for a mistake like this, and the result is 

 confusion. But if the horse has thoroughly learned 

 the terre-a-terre and the backward gallop, it is a far 

 easier matter to push it forward against the contact, 

 and so change from the terre-a-terre to the gallop on 

 three legs, than to restrain it from the gallop on 

 three legs to the gallop terre-a-terre. 



In beginning either the terre-a-terre or the gallop 

 backward, do not accept from the horse the slight- 

 est sign of being behind the hand. If you feel this 

 at all, use your legs vigorously and push the animal 

 forward upon the hand. The rider can always de- 

 tect this tendency to stay behind the hand; and 

 should correct it by giving three minutes of good, 

 energetic promenade trot. For this purpose, I pre- 

 fer the trot to the gallop, since at the gallop one 

 lateral biped tends to get more work than the 

 other, unless the rider takes pains to change hands. 

 In any case, the gallop does not give so complete 



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