THE TROT, THE AMBLE, THE PACE, THE RACK.
"We ride and ride. High on the hills
The fir-trees stretch into the sky;
The birches, which the deep calm stills,
Quiver again as we speed by."
OWEN INNSLY.
In the trot, the horse moves his legs in the same diagonal manner as in
the walk, the only difference being that in the trot they are moved more
rapidly. When trotting regularly and evenly, the right fore-foot and the
left hind-foot strike the ground nearly simultaneously, and then the
left fore-foot and the right hind-foot do the same; and so on
alternately, two legs being diagonally upon the ground at about the same
moment, while two legs are raised in the air.
The strokes of the hoofs upon the ground are called "beats," and are
loud and quick, harmonizing with the animal's rapidity of motion and
length of step. The trot is the safest gait for a rider if the horse be
free from any defect in his limbs, as he will be less apt to stumble;
it is also less tiresome for the animal, because while two legs are
diagonally off the ground, the other two support the weight of his body,
and thus one pair alternately and quickly relieves the other.
There are three varieties of trot, namely, the jog trot, the flying or
racing trot, and the true or even trot. In the _jog trot_ each foot is
placed nearly in the same track it occupied before it was raised, though
somewhat in advance of it, and it remains upon the ground a longer time
than when raised in the air, thus rendering the gait almost as slow as
the walk. If the horse be young and spirited, he will prefer this gait
to that of the walk, and, if permitted, will naturally adopt it. This
should be guarded against, and under no circumstances should he be
allowed to break into a jog trot; because, however accomplished the
rider may be, she will find it a very unpleasant and excessively
fatiguing gait, and one which will make her look very awkward. This
variety of trot, however, occasions less injury to the horse's feet and
legs than any other gait, and, on this account, it is preferred by most
farmers.
In the _racing_ or _flying trot_, the horse is allowed to step out
without the least constraint, the legs being extended as far as
possible, and moving straight forward, while the animal spiritedly
enters into the occasion and gives out his full power. In this trot all
the legs are moved very rapidly, and the hind ones with more force than
the fore-legs, in order that the horse's body may, with each bound, be
propelled as far forward as possible. Between the two successive bounds
all four legs are momentarily off the ground. Very springy fetlocks tend
to diminish speed in the flying trot, and hence, not having such elastic
fetlocks, a good trotting racer is rough in his action and an
undesirable saddle-horse.
In the _true_ or _even trot_, the action of the horse is regular, all
his limbs moving in an even manner, his feet measuring exact distances,
his hoof-beats being in equal time of _one, two, three, four_, and his
feet, when moving rapidly, touching the ground only for an instant.
There are two ways in which this trot may be ridden: one is to sit
closely to the saddle, moving as little as possible, and making no
effort to avoid the roughness of the gait. This is the method practiced
by the cavalry of this country, as well as by the armies in Europe, and
is called the "cavalry" or "French trot."
The other method is to relieve the joltings by rising in the saddle in
time with the horse's step. This is called the "English trot," and is
the favorite gait of the European and the American civilian horsemen. It
is only during the last few years that this trot has been gradually
coming into favor with American horsewomen, although the ladies of
England, and of nearly all continental Europe, have for a long time
ridden this gait as well as the canter and hand gallop, having found
that by alternating the latter gaits with the trot they could ride
greater distances upon hard roads, and with much less fatigue to
themselves and their steeds. The English trot does not wear out the
horse so quickly as the gallop and canter; indeed, it has been generally
found that the horse's trot improves as he grows older, many horses
having become better trotters at their tenth or twelfth year than at an
earlier age. The trot in which the hoof-beats are in time of only _one,
two_, is very difficult to ride.
In America, many persons condemn the English trot for lady riders, which
is hardly to be wondered at when one observes the various awkward and
grotesque attitudes that are assumed, even by many gentlemen, when
attempting to rise in the saddle. As for the ladies who have undertaken
this innovation, their appearance on horseback, from want of proper
training or from lack of attention to given rules, has, with but few
exceptions, been simply ridiculous. Even with correct teaching and
proper application, some ladies, although they acquire the English trot,
and do not make caricatures of themselves while employing it, yet do not
appear to such advantage as when in the canter or hand gallop. This is
also the case with European ladies, who differ very much in their power
to make this gait appear graceful. A small, slightly built person,
having a short measurement from the hip to the knee, can, when correctly
taught, ride this trot with much ease and grace. A tall woman will have
to lean too far forward with each rising movement of her steed, as her
length of limb will not permit a short rise; she will therefore appear
to much less advantage in this gait; while a stout built person will
look rather heavy in the rise from the saddle.
However, whether a lady is likely to present an elegant appearance or
not when riding the English trot, she must, if she desires to become an
accomplished horsewoman, learn to ride this particular gait, as it will
enable her to gain a correct seat, to keep a better and more perfect
balance, and to become more thorough in the other gaits. From a hygienic
point of view, it will prove beneficial, and will preserve both rider
and horse from excessive fatigue when traveling long distances. Under
certain circumstances, it will also enable a lady to ride a man's horse,
which will be very apt to have this trot in perfection, and but little
knowledge of, or training in, any other gaits. In the country a regular
and sure trotting horse may often be readily obtained, while it will be
much more difficult to procure one with a light, easy canter or gallop.
This trot, when well cadenced and in perfect time, is very captivating,
as the rider escapes all jolting, and feels more as if she were flying
through the air than riding upon a horse.
There is, however, one objection to the English trot to which attention
should be directed; namely, if the lady ride on a two-pommeled saddle,
and the horse happens to shy, or to turn around suddenly, while she is
in the act of rising, she is very likely to be unseated or thrown from
her horse. With the three-pommeled saddle, however, this accident will
be much less liable to occur, but the lady should always be on her guard
when riding this trot, especially if her steed be nervous; and to avoid
an accident of the kind just named, she should keep her left knee
directly under the third pommel, but without pressing up against it
enough to interfere with the rising motion, or just so close, that in
pressing upon the stirrup and straightening her knee she can rise about
four inches from the saddle; the distance between the upper surface of
the knee and the under surface of the pommel will then be about one and
a half, or two inches. If, in the rise, she does not find herself
embarrassed by the third pommel, she may know that the stirrup-leather
is of the correct length for this trot. The more rapid and regular the
trot, the easier and shorter will be the rise, and the less noticeable
the movements of the rider, because, when trotting fast, the rise will
be effected with but very little effort on her part, and will be almost
entirely due to the rapid action of the horse. To rise when trotting
slowly, will be neither easy nor pleasant for the rider, and in this
gait she will not appear to much advantage.
In the =French= or =cavalry trot=, the body should be inclined a little
backward, being kept as firm as possible but without stiffness, while at
the same time the rider should sit as closely to the saddle as she can,
with the left knee directly under the third pommel, not using force to
press up against it, but simply holding it there to sustain the limb and
to assist in keeping it as firm and steady as possible during the
roughness of this gait--while the reins should be held a little firmer
than for the walk. This trot should never be ridden by ladies after
their first lessons in riding, unless the horse moves so easily in it
that his rider is not jolted in the least. To trot so softly that no
shock will be experienced by the rider as the horse's feet touch the
ground will require a thorough-bred of rare formation.
Before the invention of the three-pommeled saddle the French trot was
always employed in the best riding-schools, a beginner being required to
practice it for a long time, in order to acquire the proper firmness in
the saddle; but since the invention of the third pommel the cavalry trot
has been almost entirely dispensed with, as this pommel at once gives a
firmness of seat that could be obtained on an old-fashioned two-pommeled
saddle only after taking many fatiguing lessons in the French trot. It
was this fatigue that caused so many persons to condemn horseback riding
for ladies, and it also proved a cause of discouragement to the pupils
in the riding-school, frequently giving rise to a decided dislike for
horseback exercise. But since the employment of the third pommel, it is
only necessary for the pupil to take two or three lessons in the
French trot, just enough to enable her to understand the movement, after
which she may proceed to rise in the English style. However, a knowledge
of the cavalry trot will be found useful, as a horse, when reined in
from a gallop or canter, will often trot a short distance before
stopping; and if the rider understands this trot, she will be able to
sit close to the saddle, and not appear awkward by jolting helplessly
about.
[Illustration: Fig. 30.--The Trot.]
Of all the styles of riding, there is none so difficult to describe or
to learn as the =English trot=. We will make an effort, however, to
render it comprehensible to the reader. Considerable study and practice
will be required to learn it perfectly, but when once learned it will
indicate the thoroughly accomplished horsewoman. (Fig. 30.)
To commence the English trot, the rider must collect her horse, as for
the walk, and then, as he advances, keep a firm, even tension upon the
_snaffle-reins_, because, in this trot, the animal will rely wholly upon
his rider to support him and hold him to the pace, without the "give and
take" movements of the hands required in the other gaits. It is not
meant by this that a dead pull is to be made, but that the support must
be firm and steady, with a proper correspondence between the
bridle-hand and the horse's mouth. The elbows must be held steady and
lightly near the rider's sides, but not close against them. As the horse
extends his trot, an unpleasant roughness or jolting will be
experienced, which will give an upward impetus to the rider's body; the
moment she is conscious of this impetus, she must allow herself to be
raised from her horse in regular time with his step or hoof-beats. In
this trot, the horse will always have a leading foot, either the right
or left, and the foot he leads with is the one to which the rider must
rise,--rising when the leading foot is lifted, and touching the saddle
when this foot touches the ground. Most riders do this instinctively, as
it were, rising and falling with the leading foot.
In _this rise_ the action of the horse alone will give the impetus; no
effort must be made by the lady, _except_ to press slightly, or rather
to sustain herself gently upon the stirrup, and keep her knee and instep
yielding and flexible with the rise. Care must be taken not to allow the
leg to swing forward and backward. The rise should be made as straight
upward as possible, the upper part of the body inclining forward no more
than is necessary to effect the rise with ease. The back must be kept
well curved, and the shoulders square to the front of the horse,
without lifting them up, or rounding them in rising.
The =leading foot of the horse= is that fore-foot or leg with which he
commences his advance in the gait; it will always be carried somewhat
beyond its fellow, while, at the same time, that side of the animal's
body which corresponds with the leading foot will be a little more
advanced toward this foot, though almost imperceptibly so. Every rider
should be taught to know with which foot her horse leads.
When a horse trots evenly and quickly, and with rather a short step, the
rise in the saddle will be barely perceptible; but when he trots slowly
and with a long step, the rise will have to be higher, in order that the
rider may keep time with the slowness and length of his step. In this
gait a tall woman will be very apt to prefer a long step to a short one.
In making the rise, the rider must never assist herself by pulling upon
the reins, which should be held firm and low to give support _to the
horse alone_, not allowing them to slip in the least from between the
thumb and forefinger that should hold them steady.
_The descent_ of the body to the saddle must be effected as gently as
possible. The right knee should be pressed against the second pommel,
and the left foot lean lightly upon the stirrup, the left foot and
instep being kept yielding and flexible with the descent, and the body
and right leg bearing[7] a little to the right. The descent should be
made just in time to catch the next impetus of the horse's movement, so
that the saddle will be hardly touched before the rider's body will
again be thrown upward to make the rise.
Footnote 7: By "bearing to the right" is not meant an inclination of
the body to this side, but a resistance sufficient to keep the body
from inclining toward the left. As hereafter stated, trotting in a
circle to the _right_ will be found an excellent exercise to teach one
this bearing.
It presents a very comical and inelegant appearance for a rider, whether
man or woman, when attempting the rising trot, to elevate and protrude
the shoulders, curve the back out so as to round it, lean forward toward
the horse's ears, with elbows sticking out from the rider's sides and
flopping like the wings of a restless bird, while the body is bobbing up
and down like a dancing-jack, out of all time with the movements of the
animal. One reason why some persons are so awkward in the rise is that
they sit too far back upon the saddle. This obliges them to sustain
themselves upon the stirrup obliquely, thus causing them to lean too
far forward in order to accomplish the rise more easily. Another cause
of awkwardness in the rising trot is an improperly constructed saddle.
The seat or platform should be as nearly level as a properly made saddle
will permit. When the front part or arch is much higher than the seat,
it will be difficult to use the second pommel as a point of support for
the right knee, which support is highly essential during the descent, in
this trot. It is a common thing to see riders exaggerate the rise by
pressing hard upon the stirrup and supporting themselves by the reins,
thus rising higher than necessary, and coming down with a heavy thump
upon the saddle; to which equestrian gymnastics they give the name of
"English trot."
When rising and descending in the English trot, the left leg, from knee
to instep, must be held perpendicular and steady; the foot, from toe to
heel, must rest horizontally in the stirrup, and in a line with the
horse's side. The foot should not be allowed to turn out, nor the leg to
swing backward and forward: if the foot be pointed out, this will tend
to carry the body and leg too much toward the left, on the rise; and, if
the leg be allowed to swing, it will cause the rider to lose the rhythm
of the trot. Again, the stirrup must not be too strongly pressed upon,
as this will throw all the rider's weight upon the left side, and may
cause the saddle to turn. On making the rise, great care must be taken
not to advance the left shoulder, nor to turn the body to the left; many
riders do these things with the idea that they will enable them to rise
with more ease. But this is an error, for such movements will not only
occasion fatigue, but will also render the rein-hold unsteady, and the
action of the foot and knee uncertain. The body and shoulders must
always be square to the front when the horse is trotting straight
forward, the body remaining as erect as the action of the horse will
allow.
=To stop= a well-trained horse =in this gait=, it will simply be
necessary for the rider to cease rising, sit down to the saddle, and
gradually loosen the reins. Many horses, however, are trained to make
the stop in the usual way, by having the reins tightened. The advance
and the turns are to be conducted in the same manner as that described
for the walk.
In the English trot, the horse must be kept well up to his gait; should
he appear to move heavily or disunitedly the reins must be gradually
shortened, and the animal be collected. Should he step short, in a
constrained manner, the reins must be gradually lengthened, to give him
more freedom. If he break into a gallop when it is desired that he
should trot, he must be gradually reined in to a walk, and then be
started again upon a trot, and this course must be repeated until he
obeys, stopping him every time he attempts to gallop, and then starting
the trot anew. If he trot too rapidly, he must be checked, by bracing
the bridle-hand and increasing the pull upon the reins. If the trot be
too slow, the hand must relax the reins a little, and the horse be
animated by the voice, and by gentle taps with the whip. To regulate the
trot, to keep it smooth and harmonious, to rein in the horse gently
without rendering him unsteady, and then gradually to yield the hand so
that he may move forward again in a regular manner, are very difficult
points for beginners to accomplish while still keeping up the proper
support upon the bit, and will require study and considerable practice.
A horse should never be urged into a more rapid trot than he can execute
in an even, regular manner; if compelled to exceed this, he will break
into a rough gallop, or into such an irregular trot as will render it
impossible for the rider to time the rise.
An accomplished horsewoman, when trotting her horse, will make no
observable effort, and there will be perfect harmony between her steed
and herself. When the English trot is ridden in this manner, the person
who can condemn it must, indeed, be extremely fastidious. However, it
must be acknowledged that it will require the lithe, charming figure of
a young lady to exhibit its best points, and to execute it in its most
pleasing and graceful style. The very tall, the inactive, or the stout
lady may ride this gait with ease to herself and horse, and when
properly taught will not render herself awkward or ridiculous, but she
can never ride it with the willowy grace of the slender woman of medium
size.
=Trotting in a circle= may be practiced in a riding-school, or upon a
level, open space or ground, having a circular track about seventy-five
or eighty feet in diameter. It is very excellent practice, especially in
teaching the rider to rise in unison with the horse's trot, whether he
leads with the right or left leg. For first lessons, the pupil must
commence by circling to the right, as this is the easiest to learn, and
will teach her to bear toward the right side of the horse. It is very
essential that in first lessons she should do this; because in the
English trot she will have to guard carefully against inclining to the
left in the rise and descent, a fault common to all beginners who are
not better instructed.
In circling, the horse will always incline toward the centre of the
circle, with which inclination the rider's body must correspond, by
leaning in the same direction; if this precaution should be neglected
and the horse be trotting rapidly, the rider will lose her balance, and
fall off on the side opposite to that of the inclination. The distance
she should lean to the right or to the left must be in proportion to the
size of the circle that is being passed over, and also to the inward
bearing of the horse's body. Should the circle be small and the gait
rapid, the inclination of the rider's body will have to be considerable
to enable her to maintain her seat and keep in unison with the horse. If
the circle be large, say eighty feet in diameter, the inclination will
be slight.
In order to _circle to the right_, when holding a curb and a snaffle
rein in each hand, the pupil must collect her horse by the aid of curb,
leg, and whip, as already explained, and start him forward on the
snaffle, holding the right rein a little lower than the left, and
drawing it enough to enable her to see plainly the corner of his right
eye; the reins must be held steadily, no sudden jerks being given to
them, as these will cause the horse to move irregularly and swerve
about. Should his croup be turned too much to the right, the pressure of
the whip will bring it to the left; if it be turned too much to the
left, the pressure of the left leg will bring it to the right.
In _circling to the left_, the horse will incline his body to the left,
toward the centre of the circle. It is not very easy to learn to circle
to the left, but when once learned, it will be found no more difficult
than circling to the right, provided the animal has been properly
trained and made supple, so as to lead with either leg. Horses that have
been trained to lead with the right leg only will, when required to
change and lead with the left, move in a confined, inflexible, and
irregular manner, so that it will be impossible to time the rise from
the saddle. In riding in the circle to the left, the directions for
circling to the right must be reversed, the rider leaning to the _left_,
pulling the _left_ rein a little tighter, etc. Great care must be taken,
however, not to lean too much toward the left in making the rise. The
degree of inclination should not in this case be so great as the
corresponding inclination when circling to the right, for if it is the
rider will throw her weight too much upon the stirrup side, and may
cause the saddle to turn.
In practicing riding in a circle, it will be found very advantageous to
vary the size of the circle, first riding in a large one, then gradually
contracting it, and again enlarging it; or the rider, while practicing
upon a large circle, may make a cross-cut toward the centre of this
circle, so as to enter upon another one of smaller diameter, and, after
riding for a short time in the smaller circle, she may again pass out to
resume her ride upon the larger one. These changes from large to narrow
circles form excellent practice for pupils, but should always, if
possible, be performed under competent instruction.
The first lessons in trotting in a circle should always be of short
duration, and the pupil required to ride slowly, the speed being
gradually increased as she gains knowledge and confidence. The moment
she experiences fatigue she should dismount, and rest, before resuming
the lesson.
=In the amble= the horse's movements very strongly resemble those of the
camel, two legs on one side moving together alternately with the two
legs of the other side. Thus one side of the animal supports the weight
of his body, while the other side moves forward, and so on in
alternation. This is an artificial gait, and one to which the horse must
usually be trained; though some horses whose ancestors have been forced
to travel in this gait, have themselves been known to amble without any
training. In the feudal ages it was the favorite pace for a lady's
palfrey, but at the present day it is no longer countenanced by good
taste.
=The pace=, however, which is so well liked by many ladies in this
country, is a kind of amble, although the steps taken are longer. A good
pacer can frequently travel faster than most horses can in the trot.
When the steed moves easily and willingly, the pace is very pleasant for
short rides, but for long journeys, unless the animal can change his
gait to a hand gallop or a canter, it will become very unpleasant and
tiresome. Many pacers are almost as rough in their movements as the
ordinary trotter; and although they do not jolt the rider up and down
upon the saddle, yet they jerk her body in such a manner as successively
and alternately to throw one side forward and the other slightly back
with each and every step, rendering a ride for any distance very
fatiguing.
=The rack=, at one time so much liked, has become almost obsolete. This
is a peculiar gait, not easily described, in which the horse appears to
trot with one pair of legs and amble with the other, the gait being so
mixed up between an amble and a defective trot as to render it almost a
nondescript. When racking, the horse will appear constrained and
uncomfortable, and will strongly bear upon the rider's hand; some
animals so much so, as completely to weary the bridle-hand and arm in a
ride of only an hour or two. This constant bearing of the horse's head
upon the reins soon renders him hard mouthed, and, consequently, not
easily and promptly managed. The rack soon wears out a horse, besides
spoiling him for other gaits, and so injures his feet and legs that a
racker will rarely be suitable for the saddle after his eighth year. It
is an acquired step, much disliked by the horse, which has always to be
forced into it by being urged forward against the restraint of a
curb-bit; and he will, whenever an opportunity presents, break into a
rough trot or canter, so that the rider has to be constantly on the
watch, and compel him to keep in the rack against his will. And although
the motion does not jolt much, the aspect of the horse and rider is not
as easy and graceful as in the canter and hand gallop, there being an
appearance of unwillingness and restraint that is by no means pleasing.
The directions for the French trot will answer for both the pace and the
rack, except that in the latter the traction upon the reins must be
greater.