12. Changing feet every step, each time of the gallop being done on a different leg.
In order to practise this difficult performance, the horse ought to be accustomed to execute perfectly, and as frequently as possible, changing feet at the touch. Before attempting these changes of feet every step, we ought to have brought him to execute this movement at every other step. Everything depends upon his aptness, and above all, on the intelligence of the rider; with this latter quality, there is no obstacle that is not to be surmounted. To execute this performance with the desirable degree of precision, the horse should remain light, and preserve the same degree of action; the rider, on his part, should also avoid roughly inclining the horse's fore-hand to one side or the other.
13. Ordinary pirouettes on three legs, the fore leg on the side towards which we are turning: remaining in the air during the whole time of the movement.
Ordinary pirouettes should be familiar to a horse broken after my method, and I have above shown the means to make him hold up one of his fore feet. If these two movements are well executed separately, it will be easy to connect them in a single performance. After having disposed the horse for the pirouette, we will prepare the mass in such a way as to raise the fore leg; this once in the air, we will throw the weight on the part opposite to the side towards which we wish to turn, by bearing upon this part with the hand and leg. The leg of the rider placed on the converging side, will only act daring this time so as to carry the forces forward, in order to prevent the hand producing a retrograde effect.
14. To back with a halt at each step, the right leg of the horse remaining in front motionless and held out at the full distance that the left leg has passed over, and vice versâ.
This movement depends upon the nicety of touch of the rider, as it results from an effect of forces impossible to specify. Though this performance is not very graceful, the experienced rider will do well to often practise it, in order to learn to modify the effects of forces, and acquire all the niceties of his art in perfection.
15. Regular piaffer with an instant halt on three legs, the fourth remaining in the air.
Here, also, as for the ordinary pirouettes upon three legs, it is by exercising the piaffer and the flexion of one leg separately, that we will succeed in uniting the two movements in one. We will interrupt the piaffer by arresting the contraction of three of the legs so as to leave it in one only. It is sufficient, then, in order to accustom the horse to this performance, to stop him while he is piaffing, by forcing him to contract one of his legs.
16. Change of feet every time at equal intervals, the horse remaining in the same place.
This movement is obtained by the same proceedings as are employed for changing feet every time while advancing; only it is much more complicated, since we must give an exact impulsion sufficiently strong to determine the movement of the legs without the body advancing. This movement consequently demands a great deal of tact on the rider's part, and cannot be practised except on a perfectly broken horse, but broken as I understand it.