THE HIGH SCHOOL 101 



second finger of the left hand : some horses, however, 

 work best on the bit reins. 



Some High School riders have the bridoon reins in 

 the right hand, and the curb reins in the left hand and 

 touch the mouth with the bridoon and bit alternately 

 as each foot comes to the ground — there will be a 

 slightly greater tension on the diagonal rein if the 

 knuckles are vertical, and the reins in each hand 

 separated by at any rate three fingers : in this way wc 

 have a combination of lateral and diagonal aids. This 

 method quickly balances a horse and makes him light 

 in hand, it is most useful in making the mouth, and in 

 the canter, especially in the change of leg at each step : 

 it also stimulates and collects a horse in the High School 

 paces, and horses seem to prefer this way of aiding the 

 action of the forehand to the alternate action of the 

 hands on the reins of one bit, which irritates the corners 

 of the mouth and twists the neck about, though it 

 perhaps keeps the horse straighter. If the knees are 

 also bent and the heels carried back, the horse can in 

 this way be brought into the highest collection. Experi- 

 ence has made me very partial to this way of holding 

 the reins, only I prefer to have the left bridoon rein in 

 my right hand, with the right curb rein under the little 

 finger, and the other reins in the same position in the 

 left hand. 



In whatever way the reins are held the main point 

 is to teach the horse to work on a long and lightly 

 stretched rein. 



With regard to the bits, if a horse is headstrong and 

 will work on the bit reins, the bridoon can be replaced 

 with a gag snaffle, the reins of which should be in the 

 centre, so that the right hand can catch hold of them 

 and check the horse. 



