XXVI. 



What is meant by the aids? — The aids are the different 

 means employed by the rider to convey his desires or 

 intentions to the horse. 



Into what classes are they divided? — ^The aids may be 

 divided into natural and artificial. The natural aids are 

 the hands and legs; the artificial aids are: the spur, the 

 whip, the voice, the pat, the longe, the longeing whip and 

 the padded posts.*^ 



The hands are called the upper aids and the legs, the 

 lower aids. Some horsemen make use of the terms princi- 

 pal and supplementary to designate the natural and artifi- 

 cial aids, respectively. 



From the standpoint of the execution of a movement 

 the aids are classed as decisive and controlling. 



The former are indispensable to the execution of the 

 movement and have a dominating action; the latter are 

 merely useful, and participate only in setting the horse to 

 advantage and in making the movement regular. 



A final division into lateral and diagonal aids results 

 from the manner in which the aids are combined. In the 

 first case, the rider uses simultaneously the rein and the leg 

 on the same side; in the second case, he uses the rein on 

 one side and the leg on the opposite side. 



Function of the hands. — It is the business of the hands, 

 through the medium of the reins, to communicate to the 

 horse his rider's will, to regulate the horse's gaits, to halt 

 him and to back him. 



Their principal function is the control of the forehand, 

 the impulse having been given previously by the legs. 



« Les piliers are two padded posts to which the horse is fastened by a 

 harness for instruction in the high school *'piaffer" and in the different 

 plunges and kicks of the "sauteur." 



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