Page:Notes on equitation and horse training.djvu/39

 IX.

Second leg lesson or first suppling of the haunches.—We have already given the horse the first leg lesson—the lesson in moving straight to the front—by drilling him to yield to the action of the legs. We will now teach him to yield to the effect of one leg, carrying the haunches to the right or left; this second lesson, which necessitates the crossing of the hind legs and gives mobility to the hind quarters, is a most useful suppling for the horse.

The best way to give a horse this second lesson is to use half turns on the forehand in reverse; half turns on the forehand are nothing more nor less than abouts on the forehand made while marching. For example, marching; on the right hand, leave the track on a diagonal (oblique) and return to it by a half turn to the left exacted by a