RIDING. 249 



the reins when held in one hand, and may be 

 practised in the use of the curb. 



When the horse has learnt to go smoothly, his 

 mouth should be interfered with as little as possible. 

 I am entirely against the practice of keeping the 

 animal in a constant state of attention to signals 

 from the reins ; as it makes him rely on his rider, 

 rather than on his own cleverness, to extricate him 

 out of difficulties, and renders him uncertain, and 

 lacking in self-confidence. This is especially the 

 case in jumping, at which work the rider should 

 limit his interference, if the horse is going too fast, 

 to dropping his hands, and taking a pull, thirty or 

 forty yards from the fence, and, then, letting the horse 

 measure his own distance, and take off, as suits him 

 best. If the animal's attention be distracted by the 

 rider's interference at this critical moment, the risk 

 of an accident will be greatly enhanced. The 

 foregoing is the substance of the advice given by 

 Mr. John Hubert Moore to his pupil, that well- 

 known fine horseman, Colonel Hickman of the 2ist 



