The American Horsewoman

by Elizabeth Karr

However, should the horse fail to obey these indications of the left rein and leg, and start off in a false and disunited manner, as explained under "the turn in the canter," another course should be pursued, namely: the tension upon the right or off curb-rein must be increased so as to bring the animal's nose to the right, as if he were going to turn to the right on a curve, while at the same time the left leg must be pressed against his side in order to have him carry his croup slightly to the right. Now he must be made to lift his fore-feet by increased tension on both curb reins, and then be urged forward. As he advances, the hands should be extended a little to give him more freedom in the spring forward, and he will then naturally lead with the right side advanced. When once started in this gait, the rider must equalize the tension upon the reins, having placed herself in the saddle, in the manner explained for the canter. To have him lead with the left leg, a similar but reversed course must be pursued, using pressure with the whip, instead of the leg, to make him place his croup to the left.

To canter with the left leg leading will be found more difficult to acquire, and will demand more study and practice. The horse, having been collected, must then be inclined obliquely to the right. To accomplish this, the rider must increase the tension of the right curb-rein, and press her whip against the animal's right side, which will urge his head to the right and his croup to the left. In order that the position of the rider's body may correspond with that of the horse, her left hip and shoulder must be slightly advanced, in precedence of her right hip and shoulder. It will be observed that the manœuvring in this lead is similar to that in which the right leg leads, except that the direction of the positions, of the management of the reins, and of the horse's bearing during the canter is simply reversed; in either lead, however, the tension or bearing upon the reins, as the horse advances in the canter, must be equal.

It may be proper to state here that, as the amount of tension needed upon the reins when cantering varies considerably with different horses, some needing only the lightest touch, the rider will, consequently, have to ascertain for herself how much will be suitable for her horse. Some horses, after having fairly started in the canter, will bend their necks so as to carry their chin closer to the throat, while others again will extend the neck so as to carry the chin forward. In the first instance, the reins will have to be shortened in order to give the animal the proper support in the gait, as well as to keep up the correspondence between his mouth and the bridle-hand; in the latter they will require to be lengthened, to give him more freedom in his movement. Should the reins be held too short, or the rider's hand be heavy and unyielding, the horse will be confined in his canter; should the reins be held too long, he will canter carelessly, and will either move heavily upon his fore-legs, or break into an irregular trot.

A rider may by attending to the following directions readily determine whether her horse be leading with the leg she desires, and also whether he be advancing in a true and united manner: If he be moving regularly and easily, with a light play upon the reins in harmony with the give and take movements of the hand, his head being slightly inclined in a direction opposite to that of the leading leg, and his action being smooth and pleasant to the rider, he will, as a rule, be cantering correctly. But if he be moving roughly and unevenly, giving the rider a sensation of jolting, if his head is inclined toward the same side as that of the leading leg, and he does not yield prompt obedience to the reins, then he is not cantering properly, and should be immediately stopped, again collected, and started anew. If necessary this course should be repeated until he advances regularly and unitedly.

Some horses, after having fairly entered upon the canter, will change the leading leg, and will even keep changing from one to the other, at short intervals. This is a bad habit, and one that will never be attempted by a well-trained animal, unless his rider does not understand how to support him correctly and to keep him leading with the required leg. A horse should never be allowed to change his leading leg except at the will of his rider; and should he do so, he should be chidden and stopped instantly, and then started anew.

If the rider when trotting rapidly wishes to change to a canter, she must first moderate the trot to a walk, because the horse will otherwise be apt to break from the trot into a rapid gallop. Should he insist upon trotting, when it is desired that he should canter, he must be stopped, collected with the curb-bit, as heretofore described in the directions for commencing the canter, and started anew. This course must be repeated every time he disobeys, and be continued until he is made to canter.

It may be remarked here that, in the canter, whenever the horse moves irregularly, advances heavily upon his fore-legs, thus endeavoring to force his rider's hand, or when he fails to yield ready obedience, he should always be stopped, collected, and started anew,—repeating this course, if necessary, several times in succession. Should the animal, however, persist in his disobedience, pull upon the reins, and get his head down, his rider must, as he moves on, gently yield the bridle-reins, and each time he pulls upon them she must gradually, but firmly, increase the tension upon them, by drawing them in toward her waist. This counter-traction must be continued until the horse yields to the bridle and canters properly. When he pulls upon the reins his rider in advancing her hands to yield the reins should be careful to keep her body erect, and not allow it to be pulled forward.

The turn in the canter. In turning to the right, if the horse is leading with the inward leg, or the one toward the centre of the circle of which the distance to be turned forms an arc, in the present instance the right fore-leg which is followed by the right hind-leg, he is said to be true and united, and will be able to make the turn safely. Should the turn be made toward the left, the horse leading with his inward or left fore-leg, followed by the left hind-leg, he will likewise be true and united.

On the contrary, the animal will be disunited when, in cantering to the right, he leads with the right fore-leg followed by the left hind-leg, or when he leads with the left fore-leg followed by the right hind-leg. In either case, from want of equilibrium in action and motion, a very slight obstruction may make him fall.

In turning toward the left, in a canter, the horse will be disunited if he leads with the left fore-leg followed by the right hind-leg, or if he leads with the right fore-leg followed by the left hind-leg, as in the preceding instance, he will be liable to fall. A horse is said to go false when, in turning to the right, in the canter, he leads with both left legs, or advances his left side beyond his right; also, when in cantering to the left he leads with both right legs or advances his right side beyond his left; in either of these false movements he will be very liable to fall.