CHAPTER V.

CHANGES OF DIRECTION.

The horse being able to move forward and to decrease and increase gaits with reasonable accuracy, changes of direction may be undertaken.

_First Exercise._—The horse being at the walk, force the horse forward with both legs, use the open rein, and if he moves off at an angle oblique to the original direction, although the divergence may be small, it is satisfactory.

_Second Exercises._—The horse being at the walk, use the right or left leg to help carry the haunches around to the left or right; use the right or left rein of opposition to turn the horse to the right or left in a direction perpendicular to the original. The rein of opposition is used to combat the haunches with the shoulder. The horse not yet knowing the meaning of the preponderant use of one leg of the rider, the shoulder combating the haunch will make the haunch swing around, and if the horse, every time he is obliged to swing his haunches by the rein of opposition, feels the rider’s leg on that side, he will begin to associate the use of the leg with the swinging of the haunches.

_Third Exercise._—As the horse begins to understand the meaning of the use of one leg, gradually lessen the use of the rein of opposition as an open rein, until it finally becomes a direct rein, used only to turn the head slightly in the new direction. As the rein of opposition, or open rein, is diminished, supposing it to have been the right rein, gradually bring into play the left rein of support to force the fore quarters to the right in the new direction. As to the legs: Have both ready to maintain the impulsion, and each ready to act singly in case the hind feet do not follow in the track of the fore feet in making the change of direction. The hind legs being the propellers, and the maximum of power being always desirable, for purely mechanical reasons the greatest power of the hind legs is obtained when they follow in the same path as the fore legs, during turns.

(_Note._—The third exercise should not be undertaken until the horse has accomplished most of the exercises of Lateral Equitation, explained in following chapters.)

Abouts, circles, figures of eight, and serpentines are exercises, named in order of difficulty, which may be undertaken to accomplish the same result as the above exercises, with greater exactness. All these exercises should be practiced at the walk until proficient before attempting them at the slow trot. The rider sits the slow trot.

_The About on the Forehand at a Halt._—With horses that are naturally impulsive and are continually endeavoring to forge to the front, abouts on the forehand from the halt may be practiced at this stage of the training. With horses of exaggerated impulsiveness it may sometimes be undertaken earlier. The exercise should come later for less impulsive horses. The movement should always be completed by moving the horse straight to the front. The about on the forehand should always be about the inside leg as a pivot, for otherwise the movement is a retrograde one and tends to put the horse behind the bit.

It must be understood that at this stage of training, that is, during lateral equitation (explained on page 50), the about on the forehand is not a finished movement. The aids to be used are: To execute an about on the forehand to the right; both legs to arouse impulsion; the right leg to swing the haunches; the right rein of opposition to assist the right leg; the left rein to assist the right in its second function of preventing the horse from moving forward. The left leg is always ready to prevent the horse from backing.

_About on the Forehand (Dismounted)._—With some horses that are particularly difficult to teach the use of the leg as an aid, dismounted work may be resorted to. Short lessons only should be given.

Working on the left side, seize the reins six or eight inches from the bit in the left hand. Stand facing the horse and with the riding-whip touch him in rear of the girth where the rider’s leg would ordinarily come when used as an aid. Increase the force of the whip, beginning with light taps, until the horse swings his haunches away from the whip. The left hand prevents the horse moving either forward or backward. If at first the horse fails to move his haunches, he may be assisted in doing so by bringing the head slightly toward the side of the trainer. This opposes the head to the haunches and assists the action of the whip.