MODERN RIDING. 



175 



to place his left foot before the right; the left 

 rein keeps the horse's head up, assists and 

 balances the power of the right, and the right 

 leg presses the horse up to the hand, pre- 

 vents the croupe from coming too much to 

 the right, and retains the horse in the oblique 

 direction on two diagonal lines. 



In all this, the pupil begins cautiously, and 

 gently presses and collects his horse into his 

 hands, till he feels that he has him completely 

 united and balanced there. The arms are 

 firm and steady, and the fingers as soft and 

 pliant as the obedience and working of the 

 horse will admit, — supporting the appui as 

 lightly and delicately as possible, leading the 

 shoulders off first, and letting the croupe 

 accompany them. 



The pupil is now to observe, that the horse 

 does not advance over his lines ; that he does 

 not retreat from his lines ; that the shoulders 

 work no faster than the croupe, by which the 

 horse would become straight on his lines ; 



