APPENDIX 109 



spurs, the legs and thighs withdraw themselves from 

 the sides, the fingers then close tightly on the reins, 

 without increasing the tension, till the rider feels the 

 horse in perfect balance, the legs then close in and exert 

 the necessary pressure. If the horse gets out of 

 balance, the less withdraw themselves and the fingers 

 again close on the reins ; on the other hand, should the 

 horse start into the " passage," the legs commence 

 their alternate action and the fingers relax their hold 

 on the reins, though the open hand still feels the mouth 

 steadily, ready to re-establish the balance when 

 necessary. Again, when changing the leading leg in 

 the canter, the hand, by gripping the reins, brings the 

 horse back through the legs into perfect balance, and 

 then the directing leg closes in and the fingers allow 

 the impulse to pass forward. I agree with Baucher, 

 that perfect balance is not obtainable, unless the legs 

 first of all stimulate the horse, and then allow pressure 

 on the reins, without any backward pull, to carry the 

 due proportion of weight through them on to the hind 

 legs. 



General I'Hotte, Baucher's favourite pupil, tells the 

 story that when he went to bid farewell to his master 

 on his death-bed, the latter took hold of his left hand 

 and, after placing it in the proper position for holding 

 the reins, with the fingers and wrist bent, squeezed it 

 strongly, and said to him, " Always do that, never 

 bring your hand back to your body when wishing to 

 restrain a horse." And I believe that this squeezing of 

 the reins without moving the hand is one of the secrets 

 of horse control ; it being understood, that the nearer 

 a right angle the reins form with the cheeks of the bit, 

 the more is the action of the bit concentrated on the 

 bars of the mouth. This is what Baucher means when 

 he says the action of the hand should be upwards, not 

 backwards, and I think he refers to the bit and not to 

 the bridoon. 



