HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP 89 



too long, and the horse is what is called ' short in the rein,' they 

 are apt to get the spare end of the rein entangled with the rider's 

 foot ; if too short with long-necked horses there is not sufficient 

 to let out when the horse is bent in ' shoulder in,' or 'passage.' 

 There should be a buckle in the centre and a buckle and billet 

 at each end of the reins. In putting on the running reins the 

 buckle in the centre should be placed on the horse's neck so 

 that the reins are equally divided, and the end of the reins passed 

 on each side through the ring of the snaffle from the outside, 

 brought back to the girth or surcingle, and buckled to it just 

 below the flaps of the saddle. This is a better place for them 

 than if they were fastened to the D or staples on the front of 

 the saddle. The rider should take them up one in each hand 

 with the snaffle rein, the little finger being between them so as 

 to keep them separate : the running rein should be on the out- 

 side. The reins of the snaffle should be considerably the 

 shorter, in fact, when they are first used the weight of the run- 

 ning rein is almost sufficient. If you attempt to tie the horse's 

 head too much with it you will do more harm than good, 

 whereas if judiciously used a great assistance is gained towards 

 teaching a badly formed horse to carry himself correctly. The 

 rider should quite understand that in the event of his young 

 raw horse boring on his hand it is not of the slightest use for 

 him to hold on to his head and attempt to pull him up by 

 main force. If he do so the horse will in all probability lean 

 on him all the more and increase his pace instead of slackening 

 it. By moving the snaffle lightly across the bars of his mouth, 

 or in many instances by giving the animal his head altogether, 

 he will as soon as he finds that he has nothing to lean against 

 stop of his own accord. When this sort of thing occurs the 

 horse should be halted and mouthed a short time at the halt, 

 so as to get him to yield a little, and then tried again ; but it is 

 generally found to be the best remedy, when horses at this 

 stage are inclined to bore much on the hand, to put them back 

 on to the longe for a few days and keep them well up to their 

 work on the crosstrees. This as a rule has the desired effect. 



