capriole

plural caprioles

1. A leap that a horse makes with all fours, upwards only, without advancing, but with a kick or jerk of the hind legs when at the height of the leap.
2. A leap or caper, as in dancing.

   With lofty turns and caprioles.

   1595, John Davies, Orchestra

   1 more example

   When Dandy Dinmont, after executing two or three caprioles, and cutting the Highland-fling, by way of ridicule of his wife's anxiety, at last deigned to sit down, and commit his round, black, shaggy bullet of a head to her inspection.

   1815 February 24, [Walter Scott], chapter 3, in Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer. […], volume II, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and Archibald Constable and Co., […], →OCLC

present singular third person caprioles · participle present caprioling · participle past caprioled · past caprioled

1. intransitiveTo leap; to caper.
2. transitiveTo cause (one's mounted horse) to perform a capriole.

   Brawny fighters, all cased in buff and iron, their hearts too sheathed in oak and triple brass, caprioled their huge war-horses, shook their death-doing spears; and went forth in the most determined manner, nothing doubting.

   1838, Thomas Carlyle, Sir Walter Scott