THE PIAFFER. 79 



in play without any vicious intention. I am convinced that 

 many apparently vicious kicks which miss their marks, are 

 delivered, not with the desire of sending the blow home, 

 but to warn the intruder against nearer approach. 



When a horse kicks out behind, he will put extra weight 

 on his fore hand, and, as a rule, will lower his head. When 

 he cow-kicks or strikes out in front, he will raise his head and 

 bring his weight back. 



In almost all cases, just before a horse kicks, he will draw 

 back his ears, and more or less show '' the white of his eye." 

 If the suspicious object be behind him, he will bring his head 

 slightly round so as to see it, and will prepare for his attack 

 by bending the fetlock and raising off the ground the 

 heel of the hind leg of that side. I mly mention that a 

 horse cannot kick with the hind leg upon ^hich he is resting 

 his weight ; for he has to transfer the w |ght to its fellow 

 before he brings it into play. My readers < ill observe that I 

 have used the word '* slightly" with refereflice to the extent 

 the animal turns his head when he gets read^y to '*lash out'' ; 

 for if he brought it round a good deal, he wo|uld be obliged to 

 throw more weight on the hind leg of the ^ide to which he is 

 looking than on its fellow, and would coi|isf 'luently have a 

 difficulty in using it. 



The Piaffer. — This is an air de manegd\ which is simply 

 a passage (p. 98) without gaining groutid. The most 

 brilliant kind of ptaffer is when the movemesit is slow, lofty, 

 in true cadence, and with a well-marked p#uss when each 

 leg is raised to its highest point. 



