CHAPTER III.

THE FORWARD MOVEMENT.

The horse being now able to be mounted, the following exercises may be undertaken:

The horses are taken into the riding-hall, if available, and the riders instructed to work without regard to distances. It is a bad plan to work in groups, especially with young horses, as they soon become accustomed to remaining in ranks and refuse to leave.

The forward movement, as has been stated, is the most important lesson in training, and it is continually taught during the entire course of instruction.

_The Walk._—To take the walk from the halt, both legs should be made to be felt, gradually increasing their intensity until the setting in motion is produced. The fingers and wrists give, to allow the neck to stretch out. The horse should be set in motion in the direction of his axis by symmetrical use of the aids. The movement should be smooth, but without hesitancy.

In order to keep the start from being sudden, the energy displayed in the use of the leg should conform to the degree of sensitiveness of the horse. The movement can be kept from being hesitatingly performed by progressively, but without hesitancy, using such force as the legs should have, and by giving the reins with the fingers and wrist at the precise moment the neck tries to stretch out.

_The Trot._—This is the most advantageous gait to take during the first lessons, because:

1. It starts the horse straight ahead and helps to bring him in hand.

2. Horses are less restless at this gait.

3. It is a natural pace.

4. It is a good suppling exercise for the horse.

The trot is not a fatiguing pace to the horse. He can go a long distance continuously at a fair rate of speed at this gait, because both fore and hind legs, respectively, have the same amount of work to do, and the body can be easily maintained in a state of equilibrium, as it is supported by diagonal supports.

The rider, if in the flat saddle, except at slow gaits, should rise to the trot during this exercise. The diagonal on which the rise is made should frequently be changed.

The lightness of the horse only comes with further training. The rider up to this point tries little by little to bring the horse under control by the following exercises:

1. Moving to the front at a walk, then a trot.

2. Increasing and decreasing gaits.

3. Halting.

_To Halt._—To execute this movement, lean back slightly and gradually increase the pressure of the bit on the mouth until the movement slows down and gradually stops. Both legs should at the same time be carried back to assist the horse in bringing the haunches up under him. The horse should neither raise nor lower his head. The whole mass of the neck should move toward the withers.

Halting the horse should often be practiced with horses possessing a high, powerful croup and with those inclined to forge ahead at all times. Those inclined to fret, those whose legs are well set up under them, and those that are difficult to keep up into the bit should seldom be halted.

Especially during these lessons must the rider pay strict attention to the even tension of the rein. At first the rider must do all the work—that is, must tighten the reins; but later the horse, having become accustomed to the pressure of the bit and always having the idea of going straight ahead, will of his own accord keep the reins taut.

_The Gallop._—Almost invariably the gallop lesson should be begun early. This is an additional means of suppling the horse, of strengthening him, extending him, and pushing him straight ahead. It would be stupidity to gallop frequently on a colt that drags his legs and is disunited at a trot and that has difficulty in holding up the part essential to the training. On the other hand, it is proper to gallop repeatedly on a vigorous horse that has been worked before purchase, or on the horse with good strong legs, particularly after he has been thoroughly confirmed in the correct trot. (_Notes d’Equitation._)

_To Take the Gallop by Extending the Trot._—To accomplish this movement, the rider needs only to take the trot and by the use of both legs to push this gait up to the point where the horse leaves it to pass into the gallop.

To accomplish this without undue increase of speed, put the horse on a circle of six or seven yards radius, first trot around this and then lengthen the trot until the horse escapes into the gallop. When he is calm and the rider feels confidence in himself, the rider may leave the circle and rejoin the track on the same hand.

As long as the rider does not wish to make abrupt changes of direction, but gallops on a large circle or on the track, it makes little difference whether the horse is galloping true or false, and it is useless for the rider to bother about the leads at this stage of the training. (_De Saint-Phalle._)

When the horse begins to understand the gallop and takes it calmly, the correct lead, which is explained on page 61, may be undertaken, at present, by the following aids: Both legs to increase the gait from the trot to the gallop; outside rein to prevent the haunches from swinging to the outside and which precludes the liability to a false lead.

(_Note._—“Outside” always means the outside of a circle, or, if on the track, the side towards the wall.)