44 ANGLO-FRENCH HORSEMANSHIP 



immediately ease the fingers, or give a few vibrations, or, 

 in extreme cases, shake the bit forward gently away from 

 the lower jaw, and so deprive the horse of support. 



The demi-arret raises a horse's nose and prevents 

 his fixing the jaw against the neck, and is a good 

 corrective for a horse when he pulls in this way. 



One of the best ways of mastering a horse is to take 

 short hold of one rein, say the right, straighten the arm 

 and raise the hand so as to get an upward pull on the 

 mouth. M. Boisgilbert says that this is the key of all 

 training, and the effect can be still further increased 

 by at the same time making the horse move his quarters 

 round with the right spur, the left rein being slack. 



Vibrations are a number of almost imperceptible 

 quick forward and backward movements of the hands 

 on the curb reins held under the second fingers, causing 

 the bit to shake slightly in the mouth. When the 

 horse resists the action of one rein, say the right, it is 

 better to give the demi-arret, or the vibrations on the 

 left rein of the same bit. 



Before employing demi-arrets or vibrations the 

 ankles should be closed in to bring the hind legs under, 

 and then the action of the legs should completely 

 cease. 



This system Baucher called " Mains sans jambes et 

 jambes sans mains ; " he claimed that by working on 

 it the rider learns to use liis hands and legs with exactly 

 the amount of force necessary to attain his object ; the 

 legs not being required to counteract the excessive 

 action of the hands, nor the hands to render the same 

 service to the legs.* After the legs have produced the 



* " The ideal of the independent use of the aids, is to be able 

 to roll a cigarette between the fingers whilst using the legs with 

 the utmost vigour." — Jajnies Fillis. 



