THE REIN-BACK. 119

shortening the steps. Too long steps show that the horse has not begun to collect himself, without doing which his steps cannot be in cadence.

The school walk is an excellent form of gymnastics, in which the combined " aids " of the rider bring all the powers of the horse into play. It makes him supple, graceful, light and well posed ; in other words, it puts him into perfect equilibrium, and it prepares him finally for the artificial paces, and especially for the rassembler, which of itself brings him to the passage and piaffer.

I teach the horse to do all the changes of direction at this school walk ; but only when he can do them easily at an ordinary walk.

THE REIN-BACK.

People generally, when trying on foot to make a horse rein back, commit the great fault of holding his head as high as possible while pushing him back. The exact opposite of this should be done ; because, by raising the head while pushing the horse back, we overload the hind quarters, which require to be light in order to perform this movement.

In fact, the hind quarters are the first to move, which they cannot do freely if they are overloaded. Even if we try to push back the horse only a little, we will make him get behind his bit and rear, which is a most serious vice.

To make a horse rein back properly, we should, on the contrary, put the preponderance of weight on his shoulders. In order to do this, I slightly lower the head of the animal^[1] by light, downward pressures on the snaffle reins.

I stand directly facing the horse, and seize with each hand,