Horses and horsemen generally stop by a gradual cessation of action, in a time and distance which depend on circumstances. As to character, however, the stop, when properly performed, is an instant cessation of advance, without any previous indication.
When the stop is properly performed, it shows the great superiority of the rider’s hand over the horse. It confirms him in obedience, unites him, supples the haunches, and bends the houghs. Much mischief, however, may occur from a too frequent or injudicious practice of it. The perfection of the stop consists in the action ceasing at the finish of a cadence, without breaking the previous time; and in the horse being so balanced on his haunches, and so animated, that, with liberty given, he can advance with the same rapidity as before.
In performance, the time to be seized is when the first part of the cadence is coming to the ground; so that its finish completes the stop. If this is not done, the cadence will be broken, and the stop rendered irregular. At such a moment, the stop is performed by the rider bracing his arms to his body, holding both reins equally and firmly, drawing the fingers towards the body, closing for an instant both legs, to press the horse up to the bridle, and throwing the body back, with precisely such strength of all the muscles as is proportioned to the effect; all this being done at the same instant, and making but one motion. If the rider do not close his legs, the horse may not bring his haunches under, the stop will be on the shoulders, and its effect will be destroyed.
If, in stopping, a horse toss up his nose, or force the hand, the bridle hand must be kept low and firm, no liberty must be given, his neck must be pressed with the right hand till he has brought down his nose, and immediately all his bridle may be given him. ([Plate XXXVIII.] fig. 2.) If the horse has not readily obeyed, he should be made to go backwards, as a proper punishment for the fault.
Going Backward in the Walk.
The action of the horse when he goes backward is to bend his haunches, to have always one of his hinder legs under his belly, on which to rest and balance himself, and to push his croupe backward. In performance, the horse’s head must be steady and right, his body gathered up under him, he must be upon his haunches, and his feet be even. To aid him in this, there should be an equal and steady feeling of both reins; the hand must be held centrically, and kept from rising, with the knuckles a little down, inviting the horse to back; the body bent a little forward, with the belly drawn in; and the legs gently pressing the sides of the horse, in order to keep him up to the bridle, and to prevent him from swerving.
The instant he yields to the hand, the body and hand yield to the horse, that he may recover his balance; and he may then be pressed to back again. If either the deviation of the hand from its centrical situation, or any other cause, make the croupe go off the line in an opposite direction, the heel must support and direct him. Thus, should the croupe traverse to the right, the right leg must direct; and, to assist, the hand must be carried a little to the right; but this must be done with delicacy, lest the croupe be thrown too much to the left. Here the hand and the heel change their functions; the hand compels the action, and the heel directs it.
THE TROT.
As to the character of the trot, when we urge the horse to proceed faster than he can by moving one leg after the other in the walk, we oblige him to take up two at a time in the trot. Here the off fore-foot and the near hind-foot give one beat; and the near fore-foot and the off hind-foot give another; so that there are two legs crosswise off the ground, and two legs on; the beats being sharp and quick, in proportion to the degree of animation and extension.
The perfection of the trot consists in its suppleness, giving the horse a free use of his limbs; in its union, distributing his labour more equally, his fore legs having more to sustain than the hind, especially when he is disunited, or on the shoulders; and in its action, which should be true and equal, the liberty of the fore-quarters not exceeding the hind, nor the hind the fore—the knee being up, the haunches bent, springy, and pliant, the step measuring exact distances, and marking a regular time. In the trot, there is a leading foot, either right or left, by which the corresponding side is a little more advanced than the other. This leading with either foot is valuable, as, in horses that have not been thus suppled, if chance or fatigue makes them change their leg for that which they are not accustomed to, the action is stiff, confined, and irregular.