_Turns in the Walk._
Turns in general should be made slowly; and all the aids should combine
in producing them.
In performance, the hand to which we turn, or inner hand, is to be a
little below the outer one, and the inner rein held with double the
force of the outer one, which is to be exerted by the little finger
pulling gently upwards and towards the body, while the outer hand
retains a steady hold of the outer rein. At the same time, the legs,
by a slight pressure with the calves, must support the horse, keep him
up to the bridle, make him bring his haunches under him, and obey the
leading rein. The pressure of the inward leg alone would make him throw
his haunches too much outwards. All this is to be done in proportion to
the effect meant to be produced; and great precision and delicacy are
required in the execution.
Wheels may also be briefly noticed here. A horse may wheel or turn on
his own ground, on three pivots,--on his centre, on his fore feet,
and on his hind feet. In all these, the hand directs all before the
horseman, and the heel all behind him. In wheeling on centres, the hand
and heel operate together--the hand leading the shoulder round--the leg
directing the croupe, by which means, in going about, the fore feet
describe one half-circle, and the hind feet another. Here the aids of
the hand, body, and legs, must exactly correspond; and the degree of
appuy must be merely such as will carry its aid into effect; for, if
the appuy is too weak, the horse will advance over his ground, and if
too strong, he will retire from it.
On terminating the wheel or quarter circle, the about or half-circle,
or the about and about, or whole circle, the hand, the body, and leg,
must instantly resume their proper position. The wheel on the fore, and
that on the hind feet, are still more rarely of use in common practice.
_Stops in the Walk._
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.