ii.] HOLDING AND HANDLING THE REINS. 31 



To shorten the right rein on the French system, bring 

 the thumbs together, take the right rein with the thumb 

 and first finger of the left hand, the thumbs touching, 

 raise the left hand, and let the right rein slip till the 

 thumbs are one inch apart. With the right rein thus, 

 one inch shorter than the left, when it is required to 

 shorten the left equally, by management you may bring 

 the two thumbs together again without loosening the left 

 rein. I say, by management, you may do so, but the 

 chances are that the longest rein is invariably thus 

 slackened previously to being shortened, and conse- 

 quently, that the bearing on the horse's mouth is dis- 

 turbed. But supposing it possible to manage this by an 

 inch at a time, it is quite impossible to manage it at a 

 greater distance. If, therefore, you have to shorten both 

 reins a foot, you cannot effect it without twenty-four 

 operations. This is not at all an unlikely occurrence in 

 riding unruly horses, for such horses are commanded 

 by being made to bend or collect themselves. Their 

 most frequent defence is jerking their heads away and 



