242 HIGH-SCHOOL RIDING. 



gets out of hand, and only about half extends his fore legs. 

 In this case we should always recommence the work by send- 

 ing him forward and requiring a complete extension. 



We must not think that we are always certain to succeed 

 even by exactly following the directions I have given. It 

 depends on the intelligence of the rider to use all the means 

 in his power to make the horse understand what is required 

 of him. This is a question of tact. Besides, when a riding 

 master breaks his first horse he is not sure of himself, and he 

 is, therefore, obliged to feel his way. Only after breaking 

 three or four horses, he will be able to tell if he has done well 

 or if he has failed. 



A horse ought not to be asked to do the Spanish walk 

 unless he is very supple, and, above all things, unless he is 

 perfectly obedient to the aids. In fact, we should be always 

 certain of making him go forward. But in this work we 

 require him to stand the spur without hardly going forward. 



As we are obliged to have the hands high in order to raise 

 the neck, we thus throw a great portion of the weight on the 

 hind quarters, and consequently risk making the animal get 

 behind his bit. It may thus happen that instead of raising 

 one fore leg, he will, by raising two, make a half-rear, which 

 is not a formidable defence, because it is a forward move- 

 ment. Or he may rear, which is more dangerous, especially 

 if the reins are pulled. It frequently happens in breaking, 

 that in order to make the horse go forward, we are obliged, 

 for a time, to give up the attempt of obtaining a movement 

 which we are teaching. If we sometimes tolerate, even a 

 little, a tendency on the part of the horse to get behind his 

 bit, we will soon be powerless to make him go forward. He 

 will quickly understand that he can get out of hand by getting 

 behind his bit, to which expedient he will continually have 

 recourse. 



All stationary work, the object of which is to teach the 



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