134- A NEW SYSTEM 



Caprioksy he will not weaken and ftrain himfelf fo much, and 

 will be fooner confirm'd in his LefTon than one who begins 

 at once with the Caprioles. 



Having thus explain'd to Demonftration the Motions of 

 a Horfe^ when he makes a perfect Capriole, you may hence 

 gather that they have an Effed diredlly oppofite to that of 

 Curvets and Pefades. — Thefe two Airs are proper to afTure 

 the Head of the Horfe, and to make it light, and this by 

 fo much the more as the principal Adion depends upon the 

 Haunches, and a moderate yipiiy of the Mouth ; but Ca- 

 prioles are apt to give too great an Apiiy, becaufe the Horfe 

 when he makes the ftrongeft Adlion of his Air, that is, 

 when he flrikes out as he is coming to the Ground, is en- 

 tirely fupported by the Hand ; therefore before he is put to 

 leap, he ought to have a perfeft Apuy, and his Shoulders 

 fliould at leaft be fuppled and lighten'd by having made Pe- 

 fades ; and he fhould be without Fear, Anger, or any kind 

 of Uneafinefs, becaufe, as I have already faid, by leaping 

 he learns to know his own Strength and Power ; and he may 

 put it to bad Purpofes to free himfelf from Obedierice, and 

 indulge his Caprice and Ill-humour. Some Horfes have a 

 DifpoHtion to this Air, and fufficient Strength to go through 

 it ; yet have their Mouth fo delicate, fenfible, and averfe to 

 the Hand, that you can't fupport them without hindering 

 them from advancing ; hence it follov/s that their Adion 

 before is cold and flow, and never fufficiently high, and they 

 can't be carried forward when they raife their Croupe and 

 flrike out ; and it is impoiTible to keep them firm as they 

 come down. To remedy this, begin their LefTon upon the 



Trot. 



