MILITARY METHOD. 



143 



they should be held in the left hand, with the little 

 finger dividing them, and their ends brought up 

 between the finger and thumb (Fig. 77). Thus, 

 the hold on the reins is chiefly maintained by the 

 lateral pressure of the fingers and by the downward 

 pressure of the thumb on them. As the muscles 



Fig. 78. Off rein taken up by right hand from position shown in Fig. 77.' 



which draw the fingers laterally together, are far 

 weaker than the muscles which cause the hand to 

 become clenched, it follows that this method of hold- 

 ing the reins is much less secure and a good deal 

 more tiring than the crossed plan (Fig. 73), which 

 has the further advantage of utilising the friction 



