THE CANTER.
"When troubled in spirit, when weary of life,
When I faint 'neath its burdens, and shrink from its strife,
When its fruits, turned to ashes, are mocking my taste,
And its fairest scene seems but a desolate waste,
Then come ye not near me, my sad heart to cheer
With friendship's soft accents or sympathy's tear.
No pity I ask, and no counsel I need,
But bring me, oh, bring me my gallant young steed,
With his high arched neck, and his nostril spread wide,
His eye full of fire, and his step full of pride!
As I spring to his back, as I seize the strong rein,
The strength to my spirit returneth again!
The bonds are all broken that fettered my mind,
And my cares borne away on the wings of the wind;
My pride lifts its head, for a season bowed down,
And the queen in my nature now puts on her crown!"
GRACE GREENWOOD.
In the gallop, the horse always has a leading foot or leg. In _leading
with the right fore-foot_, he will raise the left one from the ground,
and then the right will immediately follow, but will be advanced
somewhat beyond the left one; and this is the reason why, in this case,
the right side is called the "leading side." In the descent of the
fore-feet, the left one will touch the ground first, making the first
beat, and will be immediately followed by the leading or right
fore-foot which will make the second beat. The hind-legs are moved in a
similar way, the left hind-foot making the third beat, and the right one
the fourth. These beats vary in accordance with the adjustment of the
horse's weight, but when he gallops true and regular, as in the canter,
the hoof-beats distinctly mark _one_, _two_, _three_, _four_. In the
rapid gallop the hoof-beats sound in the time of _one-two_, or
_one-two-three_.
In _leading with the left foot_, the left side of the horse will be
advanced slightly and the left leg be carried somewhat beyond the right,
the action being just the reverse of that above described when leading
with the right leg. In this case the left side is termed the "leading
side." The hoof-beats of horses in the trot and gallop have been
admirably rendered by Bellini, in the opera of "Somnambula," just
previous to the entrance of Rudolfo upon the stage. There are three
kinds of gallop, namely, the _rapid_ or _racing_, the _hand gallop_, and
the _canter_.
=The canter= is a slow form of galloping, which the horse performs by
throwing his weight chiefly upon his hind-legs, the fore ones being used
more as supports than as propellers. Horses will be found to vary in
their modes of cantering, so much so as to render it almost impossible
to describe them accurately. Small horses and ponies have a way of
cantering with a loose rein, and without throwing much weight upon their
haunches, moving their feet rapidly, and giving pattering hoof-beats.
Most ponies on the Western prairies canter in this manner, and it is
said to be a very easy gait for a horseman though very unpleasant, from
its joltings, for a lady.
Another canter is what might be termed the "canter of a livery-stable
horse." This appears to be partly a run and partly a canter, a
peculiarity which is due to the fact that one or more of the animal's
feet are unsound, and he adopts this singular movement for the purpose
of obtaining relief. The little street gamins in London recognize the
sound of this canter at once, and will yell out, in time with the
horse's hoof-beats, "three pence, two pence," in sarcastic derision of
the lady's hired horse and the unhappy condition of his feet.
In the true canter, which alone is suitable for a lady, the carriage of
the horse is grand and elegant. In this gait, the animal has his
hind-legs well under his body, all his limbs move regularly, his neck
has a graceful curve, and responds to the slightest touch of the
rider's hand upon the reins. A horse that moves in this manner is one
for display; his grand action will emphasize the grace of a finished
rider, and the appearance of the _tout ensemble_ will be the extreme of
elegance and well-bred ease.
Horses intended for ladies' use are generally trained to lead in the
canter with the right or off fore-foot. Most lady riders, whose lessons
in riding have been limited, sit crosswise upon their saddles. This
position, without their being aware of it, places them more in unison
with the horse's movements, and thereby renders the canter with this
lead the easiest gait for them. But if a horse be constantly required to
canter with this lead he will soon become unsound in his left hind-leg,
because in leading with the right fore-foot he throws the greater part
of his weight upon his left hind-leg, and thus makes it perform double
duty. For this reason the majority of ladies' horses, when the canter is
their principal gait, will be found to suffer from strained muscles,
tendons, and articulations.
A finished rider will from time to time relieve her horse by changing
the lead to the left leg, or else she will change the canter to a trot.
Should her horse decidedly refuse to lead with the foot required,
whether right or left, it may be inferred that he is unsound in that leg
or foot; in which case he should be favored, and permitted to make his
own lead, while the canter should frequently be changed to a walk.
[Illustration: Fig. 31.--Entering upon the Canter with the Right Leg
leading.]
To =commence the canter=, the horse must be brought to a walk, or to a
stand, then be placed on his haunches, and collected by means of the
curb, left leg, and whip; and then the bridle-hand must be raised, while
the second, third, and fourth fingers are moved to and fro, so as to
give gentle pulls upon the curb-reins, thus soliciting the animal to
raise his fore-feet. In performing these manoeuvres, the rider must be
careful to direct the leg with which she desires her horse to lead. This
may be done as follows: If she desires to have the =right leg lead=, the
tension upon the left curb-rein must, _just before_ the animal rises to
take his first step, be increased enough to make him incline his head so
far to the left that the rider can see his left nostril, while,
simultaneously, her left leg must press against his side. By these
means, the horse will be prompted to place himself obliquely, with his
head rather to the left, and his croup to the right.
The rider, if seated exactly in the centre of her saddle, must take a
position corresponding to that of the horse, by throwing her right hip
and shoulder somewhat forward, her face looking toward the animal's
head, while her body is held erect with the shoulders gracefully
inclined backward, and the hollow of the back well curved inward. Any
stiffness or rigidity of the body must be guarded against in these
movements and positions. The rider must hold herself in a pliant manner,
and yield to the motions of the horse. The left leg must be held steady,
the knee being placed directly underneath the third pommel, and care
must be taken not to press upon the stirrup, as this will tend to raise
the body from the saddle, and convey its weight almost wholly to the
left side.
The hands must be held somewhat elevated and steady, and, as the horse
advances, the tension on the reins must be even, so that the fingers can
feel every cadence of his step, and give and take with his movements.
Unlike the trot, in which the horse must be supported by the snaffle,
the canter will require the curb to sustain and keep up his action.
After the animal has started in the canter with the right leg leading,
should he incline too much to the left, the tension upon the right rein
must be increased, so as to turn his head more to the right and bring
him to the proper inclination for the lead of the right leg. This
correction must be effected gradually and lightly, so as not to disturb
the gait, or cause him to change his leading leg. This canter with the
right leg leading is very easy to learn, and will not require much
practice to master.
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 manoeuvring 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.
When it is desired to =turn to the right=, in the canter, the horse
must be kept well up to the bridle, so as to place his haunches forward
and well under him, thus keeping him light on his fore-legs, and
preventing his bearing too heavily upon his shoulders; and, while the
inward rein is being tightened in order to make the turn, the outward
one must continue to support the horse, being just loose enough to allow
him to incline his head and neck toward the inner side of the turn.
Pressure from the left leg of the rider will keep the animal from
inclining his haunches too much to the left, during the turn. Should the
steed be turned merely by means of the inward rein, without being kept
well up to the bridle, and without either leg or whip being used upon
his outer side, he will turn heavily upon his forehand, and will be
obliged to change to the outward leg in order to support himself. This
will cause him, after the turn has been accomplished, to advance in a
disunited way in the canter.
When it is desired to =turn to the left=, the instructions in the
preceding paragraph may be pursued, the directions, however, being
reversed and pressure with the whip being employed instead of that with
the leg.
Sudden, sharp turns, are always dangerous, however sure-footed the horse
may be, and especial care should be taken not to turn quickly to the
right when the left fore-leg leads, nor to the left when the right
fore-leg leads, as in either case the animal will almost certainly be
thrown off his balance. In turning a "sharp corner," especially when the
rider cannot see what she is liable to encounter, it will be better for
her to make the turn at a walk, and keep her own side of the road, the
right.
=The stop in the canter.= In bringing the horse to a stand, in the
canter, he should be well placed on his haunches by gradually increasing
the pull upon the curb-reins just as his fore-feet are descending toward
the ground; the hind-feet being then well under the horse will complete
the stop. The rider must guard against leaning forward, as this will not
only prevent the horse from executing the stop in proper form, but
should he suddenly come to a stand, it will throw her still farther
forward, and the reins will become relaxed. Now, while she is thus
leaning forward, should the animal suddenly raise his head, the two
heads will be very likely to come into unpleasant contact; or should the
horse stumble, his liability to fall will be increased, because the
rider will not be in a proper position to support him, and will increase
the weight upon his shoulders, by being so far forward.
Many ladies not only lean forward while effecting the stop, but also
draw the bridle-hand to the left, and carry the bridle-arm back so that
the elbow projects behind and beyond the body, while at the same time
they elevate the shoulder on this side. This is an extremely awkward
manner of bringing a horse to a stand. The stop should be made in the
same manner as that described in the walk, that is, by gradually drawing
the bridle-hand toward the waist, etc.
Nearly all horses, unless exceptionally well trained, will trot a short
distance before coming to a stand in the canter or gallop, and it is
here that a knowledge of the French or cavalry trot will prove
essential, because the rider will then comprehend the motion, and will
sit closely to the saddle until the horse stops. In all cases, the horse
should be brought to a stand in a regular, collected manner, so that
with a little more liberty of rein he can promptly reënter upon the
canter, should this be desired.