Page:Equitation.djvu/272

 asked, and as before completed by a reversed pirouette after a few steps at the new hand.

When the horse does the half-passage correctly with its head against the wall, it is removed from the barrier by a change of hand in diagonal. During the entire time of this diagonal change, the horse will be kept straight. But when it comes to within five to seven steps of the wall at the new hand, the rider will begin the half-passage, so as to reach the wall at least ten steps from the corner.

For example, the rider, at right hand, makes the diagonal change of hand by going straight through the center of the ring, and, having passed this, keeps straight on until the horse is five, six, or seven steps from the wall. Here, he asks the half-passage from left to right—right leg for forward, right rein and augmentation of the effect of the left leg for the half-passage. When, by this movement, the horse is brought parallel to the wall, the rider stops the horse, caresses its left flank, and keeps it standing still for some moments to allow the movement to fix itself in its memory. It is then carried forward to pass the corner.

The rider, now at the left hand, once more asks the diagonal change of hand and the half-passage with everything now reversed. When the five to seven steps of the half-passage are done correctly, their number is progressively but moderately increased, until finally the entire diagonal change of hand is made by means of the half-passage.