60 



PRINCIPLES OF 



P. III. 



the horse's legs; and thus the balance is 

 maintained by as many different positions as 

 the horse has capacity to work in. 



The pupil must take no assistance from the 

 reins to support the balance. The hand must 

 be fixed, and the reins of such a length as to 

 feel and support the horse, but never to hold 

 on. 



To acquire the balance the practice on 

 circles, or what is called the longe, is recom- 

 mended. Here it is right to begin on large 

 circles, and at an easy gentle trot, by which 

 the horse will be so little bent as scarcely to 

 make a perceptible alteration in the funda- 

 mental position ; but as the circles are con- 

 tracted, and the face extended, it is necessary 

 not only for the body to lean with the horse, 

 but likewise to bend or be turned in the 

 same direction as the horse's head, which, of 

 course, is a little within the circle. In doing 

 this it is useful to work equally to both hands, 

 and not to use stirrups till the pupil has 

 acquired the balance without them. 



