252 HIGH-SCHOOL RIDING. 



movement. But, as I have often said, I content myself with a 

 little at the beginning of a new work. 



Let us suppose, for example, that at the moment when the 

 right leg is extended, I touch the horse sharply with the left 

 spur, he will make a small leap forward : that is the first 

 period. I content myself with this, and pat him on the neck. 

 Then I begin again. 



When I am sure of my first period, I do not demand a 

 second, but I begin, quite simply, with the left leg, in the same 

 manner as I did with the right. 



When I have obtained from my horse a single time of the 

 trot on each leg, I demand two, but only when such particular 

 time is correct in length and height, and is done with ease. 



If one leg is lazier than the other leg, which is almost 

 always the case, I work only that leg, which is the best means 

 of impressing the memory of the horse, and of making him 

 understand, by means of my indications, that he uses that leg 

 too slackly. 



Having established harmony, I connect the two first 

 periods and afterwards demand four ; but no more for 

 a long time, not even when the horse tries to do more of his 

 own accord. 



It is better to be contented with four times well done, than 

 to try to quickly obtain a greater number which would 

 be doubtful. 



In the Spanish trot, the horse displays great energy,* of 



* See Fig. 51. The thorough-bred Markir (by the thorough-bred Anglo- 

 Arab Cyrus, out of the thorough-bred Theresine), at the Spanish trot : right 

 diagonal in the air ; perfectly in hand ; head a little beyond the vertical ; and 

 jaw bent. Fig. 52, Germinal at the Spanish trot : left diagonal in the air ; 

 and in hand. The cutting whip would never give extensions of the legs like 

 those shown in these two illustrations, which were entirely an afifair of the spurs. 

 We can see in these two cases, how the hock which is in the air is brought well 

 under the body, which is the whole secret of the elevation of the forehand. The 

 expenditure of energy in Fig. 51 is so great that the fetlocks almost touch the 

 ground. 



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