CHANGES OF LEG WITHOUT GAINING GROUND.

To do the changes of leg at the canter without gaining ground, we should proceed in the same manner as in the changes at each stride, with only the difference that the horse should be better in hand.

It might appear that in this movement we should greatly increase the feeling on the reins, and diminish the pressure of the legs, in order to make the horse go slower. This would be a mistake ; for in that case the hands would bring the hocks away from the centre of the body. We should, on the contrary, act vigorously with both legs, to keep up propulsion, without which the canter will be lost. The hand ought to take possession of this propulsion in a very light manner, and ought to drive it back to the horse's centre of gravity, which is close to the rider's legs, when the animal is well balanced.

Changes which are made without gaining any ground are hardly perceptible to the eye, on account of the very short extension of the fore and hind legs. Hence we have to be very close to the horse to see these changes.

We owe the invention of this difficult and complicated exercise to Baucher, who did it brilliantly on Turban ; but not on Partisan, as many assert.

PIAFFERS AND "PASSAGES."

The natural passage is a very well collected, short and high trot, which is regularly cadenced from one diagonal to the other. But to fully merit the title of passage, the fore legs, being raised high, but gently, should pause for a moment in the air, with the knees and feet bent. The hind legs are raised and the hocks and pasterns are bent and carried