The Passage is the Key which opens to us all the Justness of the Art of riding, and is the only Means of adjusting and regulating Horses in all sorts of Airs; because in this Action you may work them slowly, and teach them all the Knowledge of the Leg and Hand, as it were insensibly, and without running any risque of disgusting them, so as to make them rebel.—There are many sorts of the Passage: In that which is derived from the Trot, the Action of the Horse's Legs is the same as in the Trot; the Passage is only distinguish'd from the Trot, which is the Foundation of it, by the extreme Union of the Horse, and by his keeping his Legs longer in the Air, and lifting them both equally high, and being neither so quick nor violent as in the Action of the Trot.

In the Passage which is founded on the Walk, the Action of the Horse is the same as in the Trot, and of consequence the same as in the Walk; with this Difference, that the Horse lifts his Fore-feet a good deal higher than his Hind-feet, that he marks a certain Time or Interval sufficiently long between the Motion of each Leg; his Action being much more together and short, and more distinct and slow than the ordinary Walk, and not so extended as in the Trot, in such a manner that he is, as it were, kept together and supported under himself.Lastly, there is another sort of Passage to which the Trot likewise gives birth, and in which the Action is so quick, so diligent, and so supported, that the Horse seems not to advance, but to work upon the same Spot of Ground. The Spaniards call the Horses who make this sort of Passage Pissadores. This sort of Horses have not their Action so high and strong as the other, it being too quick and sudden; but almost all Horses which are inclin'd to this sort of Passage, are generally endowed with a great Share of Gentleness and Activity.

No Horse should be put to the Passage till he has been well trotted out, is supple, and has acquir'd some Knowledge of the Union.—If he has not been well trotted, and by that means taught to go forward readily, his Action, when put to the Passage, being shorten'd and retain'd, you would run the risque of his becoming restive and ramingue; and was he utterly unacquainted with the Union, the Passage requiring that he should be very much together, he would not be able to bear it; so that finding himself press'd and forced on one hand, and being incapable of obeying on the other, he would resist and defend himself.

There are some People, who observing a Horse to have Strength and Agility, and naturally disposed to unite himself, endeavour to get from him some Times of the Passage.—They succeed in their Attempt, and immediately conclude that they can passage their Horse whenever they will, and so press him to it, before he has been sufficiently suppled and taught to go forward readily, and without retaining himself. —Hence arise all the Disorders into which Horses plunge themselves, which, if they had been properly managed at first, would have been innocent of all Vice.—Farther, you ought to study well the Nature of every Horse; you will discover of what Temper he is from the first Moment you see him passage, and to what he is most inclin'd by Nature.

If he has any Seeds of the Ramingue in him, his Action will be short and together; but it will be retain'd and loitering, the Horse craving the Aids, and only advancing in proportion as the Rider gives them, and drives him forward.—If he is light and active, quick of Feeling, and willing, his Action will be free and diligent, and you will perceive that he takes a Pleasure to work of himself, without expecting the Aids.—If he be of a hot and fiery Nature, his Actions will be quick and sudden, and will shew that he is angry and impatient of the Subjection. If he wants Inclination and Will, he will be unquiet, he will cross his Legs, and his Actions will be perplex'd. If he is fiery, and heavy at the same time, his Action will be all upon the Hand. If besides this, he has but little Strength, he will abandon himself entirely upon the Apuy. Lastly, if he is cold and sluggish in his Nature, his Motion will be unactive and dead; and even when he is enliven'd by good Lessons, you will always be able to discover his Temper by seeing the Aids, which the Rider is oblig'd to give him from time to time, to hinder him from slackening or stopping the Cadence of his Passage.

Having acquir'd a thorough Knowledge of your Horse's Character, you should regulate all your Lessons and Proceedings conformable to it.—If it hurts a Horse who partakes of the Ramingue to be kept too much together, unite him by little and little, and insensibly as it were, and quite contrary to putting him to a short and united Passage all at once. Extend and push him forward, passing one while from the Walk to that of the Trot, and so alternatively.

If your Horse is hot and impatient, he will cross his Steps, and not go equal; keep such a Horse in a less degree of Subjection, ease his Rein, pacify him, and retain or hold him in no more than is sufficient to make him more quiet.—If with this he is heavy, put him to a Walk somewhat shorter and slower than the Passage, and endeavour to put him upon his Haunches insensibly, and by degrees. By these means you will be enabled by Art to bring him to an Action, by so much the more essential, as by this alone a Horse is taught to know the Hands and Heels, as I have already observed, without ever being perplex'd or disordered.