HOW TO RENDER HORSES OBEDIENT. 221 



space,* which makes all the difference in the world, 

 because during each circuit of the manege four corners 

 have to be got through that is to say, as many changes 

 of direction made. Let us take the rider, in the first 

 instance, as being on one of the long sides of the rectan- 

 gle, on which hand is immaterial : his English confrere 

 holds his hands close together steadily down on the 

 horse's withers, just letting the animal come up to meet 

 the mouthpiece; the school - rider, on the contrary, 

 raises his hands more or less according to the natural 

 position of the horse's head and neck, his object being, 

 as we have seen, to bring their weight back towards 

 the hind legs, which latter the pressure of his own legs 

 tends to bring forward. Moreover, instead of holding 

 his hands merely passive, he takes a rein in each hand, 

 and with a gradual but decisive turn of the wrist, meets 

 each stride of the hind leg with a gentle pull on the 

 rein at the corresponding side, working upwards and 

 backwards. Thus, whilst the pressure of the man's 

 leg brings the hind leg of the remount forwards, the 

 pressure of his wrist, exercised through the rein, deter- 

 mines exactly to what extent this shall take place, and, 

 in fact, prescribes the point at which the foot shall be 

 placed on the ground. This is what is called floating 

 or oscillating between the rider's hand and leg; it is 

 what gives perfect control over the horse's movements, 

 and explains why the terms " mere rein " or " mere 

 stirrup " riding are used in a satirical sense. A little 

 attention will soon teach even a beginner which hind 

 foot is being brought forward, and consequently with 

 which rein he will have to regulate its action ; for it 



* The circus, properly so called, is only used for purposes of 

 exhibition. 



