full speed, he will probably try to make him go faster, and by pressing him on, will make him break into a gallop.

The feeling which makes us press on a horse under all conditions is very natural. Nothing unnerves us more than to ride a race alongside a horse which keeps a neck in front of us. Nevertheless, if the trotter we are riding is at the top of his speed, we should take care not to force him beyond it, which would cause him to gallop. In order to put him back into the trot, we would have to slacken speed, and would consequently lose several lengths.

Finally, when we ride a trotting race, we should know the moment the horse has attained his highest speed, which we should keep up as long as possible. The result of the race will then become a question of staying power ; because the animal which can keep up his highest speed for the longest time, will have the best chance.

We should note that in a trotting race a rider should keep his mount at the top of its speed from the start. We will see further on that this is not the case in flat-race riding.

THE CANTER.

Of all paces, the canter is the most difficult and complicated. Few riding masters succeed in making a horse do the movements they require at the canter.

I never begin the canter before getting the horse thoroughly under control, by which I mean that he should be physically, and, if I may say, morally obedient to me in all his paces ; that he should be supple, well in hand, and should readily yield to the legs.

I expect, above all things, the loins, haunches and hocks to be perfectly supple, and the horse to obey the effects of the whole without hesitation, in order that I may be able to utilize the resulting forces as I wish.