23 o HANDS AND LEGS (AIDS). 



cated to his arms by his body, which can be kept steady in 

 the best manner by a firm grip of the knees on the flaps 

 of the saddle, and by keeping the feet from going too far 

 forward. In fact, correct manipulation of the reins is im- 

 possible without a good seat. 



5. The amount of hold which a horse takes of his bridle 

 should not be much in excess of that which is necessary for 

 th^ rider to keep in touch with him ; because the more the 

 animal bears on the bit, the more weight will he put on his 

 forehand. I have previously alluded to the general advis- 

 ability of keeping a horse light in front. These remarks of 

 course refer to ordinary riding, and not to the crouching seat 

 of race riding. 



6. If we wish the animal we are riding to maintain a steady 

 and level style of going, we should keep the reins at a fixed 

 length, and should not " give and take " to him, which action 

 on our part would be liable to interfere with the regularity of 

 his movements, and to prevent us from having an even feeling 

 on his mouth, by prompting him to keep continually changing 

 the position of his head. In race-riding and in the riding of 

 training gallops, the principle of keeping the hands steady is 

 well recognised. 



7. If a horse is heavy in front and is not very impetuous, we 

 can as a rule lighten his fore-hand by holding him in with the 

 reins, and at the same time sending him up to the bit with the 

 legs (p. 215). 



8. If a horse keeps a dead and heavy pull on the reins, and 

 is too free a goer to stand being touched with the spurs or 

 heels, we should try to prevent him from advancing his head 

 beyond a certain point ; but the moment he yields by bending 

 his neck and loosening his lower jaw, we should reward his 

 obedience by " giving " to him ; but not till then. By thus 

 making a horse understand that he will save his mouth by 

 bending his neck, we shall often succeed in getting a hard 



