THE HACK. i8i 



The rider ought to be able to easily make his horse go 

 from one of these paces into another. 



The horse ought to be able to lead equally well with 

 either fore leg. Ability to change the leg is of great use, 

 when riding in the open, so as to be able to readily turn 

 to either side. It is not, however, indispensable if the rider 

 takes care to stop at the moment of turning, and to start 

 off on the leg of the side to which the turn is made. 



It is of the utmost necessity that the horse readily yields 

 to the legs, so that we can place his haunches as we like 

 at all paces. When a rider passes or crosses another rider, 

 he should be able to direct the movements of the hind 

 quarters with his legs at the same time as he does those 

 of the fore hand with his hands, so that he may guide the 

 horse as a whole and not in parts. If, for instance, the 

 hands pull the forehand to the right, and the haunches are 

 allowed to swing round to the left, the horse will be put 

 crossways, which is just the thing he ought not to be made 

 to do. In this way the rider may get thrown off, or the man 

 who passes by him may get kicked. 



If a horse obeys the legs properly, we can easily, at all 

 three paces, approach or leave one or more riders. When 

 we are all together, obedience to both legs will enable us to 

 leave the others, and, keeping the horse in hand, to let them 

 pass us, if such is our wish. 



There is extreme pleasure in riding a well-broken liot 

 horse.* 



Nothing is more agreeable than to work a horse in the 

 open. Flexions, diagonal effects, two tracks, the rassembler, 

 starting into the canter with the off fore and near fore 

 leading, and other fine points of horsemanship, keep us on 

 the alert, and make the time pass quickly when hacking. 



* A horse that stumbles, shies, pulls, or won't go on unless spurred, soon 

 disgusts us with riding. 



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