PIROUETTES AT THE CANTER. 269 



easily at the walk, I canter him on a rather larger circle, and 

 gradually shorten his stride ; not from front to rear, but by 

 the shoulders, while gaining ground to the side ; and I increase 

 the action of my legs, in order to keep up the speed. The 

 hind legs ought to " mark time " at the canter ; but, as I have 

 just said, the horse ought never to turn by continuously resting 

 on one hind leg. The pirouette ought to be done as slowly as 

 possible. The great difficulty consists in obtaining a very slow 

 canter, without losing that pace. I employ reversed means for 

 the pirouette from right to left. 



We can also do at the canter reversed pirouettes, which 

 consist in making the croup turn round the shoulders. This 

 is an excellent exercise at the walk, but I never teach it to 

 my horses at the canter, because the great difficulty in all work 

 is to make the shoulders move. In reversed pirouettes, on 

 the contrary, we teach the animal to keep his shoulders 

 stationary, which is an absurdity in riding. Besides, this 

 movement is ungraceful, because the fore legs, not being able 

 to gain ground, remain stiff while stamping on one spot. 



On the other hand, ordinary and reversed voltes are 

 graceful and useful. We obtain them by means of the same 

 " aids " by which we get pirouettes, only we make the 

 horse describe a large circle instead of turning him on 

 one spot. 



When we begin a volte, it is difficult to previously determine 

 the exact diameter of the circle which we are going to make ; 

 but, nevertheless, this will be the only means for the rider to 

 know if his horse is right. To find this out, it is sufficient to 

 trace a circle at the centre of the school. If a horse follows 

 it exactly, he does so, because his position is good, and he is 

 well-balanced in propulsion. 



When a horse does correctly at the canter all the different 

 exercises just described, we can ask him to do any movement 

 at the canter. Having been made supple and obedient by all 



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