ii6 ORDINARY RIDING.

by always keeping the heels close to his sides. With the knees and toes turned inwards, the heels are too far from the sides, and can work only by jerks. Good horsemanship cannot be practised without progressive and delicately effected transitions.

When the horse readily yields to the legs, I change the feeling on the reins by degrees. It is always necessary to finally place the head of the horse on the side to which it is directed. Nevertheless, the change should be made so gradually that the animal will not notice it.

At first he will yield to my leg only when I use it, while feeling the rein of the same side — a lateral effect. I gradually diminish the tension of the rein, until he will obey the leg by itself, and I then employ both snaffle reins to keep his head straight — direct effect. Finally, I succeed little by little in using the opposite rein — diagonal effect.

Here progress will be similar to that which was obtained when doing the same movement on foot ; solely by the aid of the whip, that is to say, the horse will finish by rotating his croup to the right, while keeping his muzzle to the right ; and vice versâ. At this work I never require complete lateral flexion when mounted. A very slight bend towards the side to which we are going is sufficient.^[1]

Having obtained this result, I teach the horse to do the simple pirouette, in which he turns his shoulders round his hind quarters.^[2]

We should not only supple the hind quarters, but should