162 THE AMERICAN HORSEWOMAN. 



so as to carry the little finger up and toward 

 the waist. And the full power of the curb 

 may be brought into action by turning the 

 wrist so as to carry the knuckles down and the 

 nails up, at the same time drawing the little 

 finger toward the waist. 



To shorten or lengthen both the curb and 

 snaffle reins evenly without abandoning the 

 horse to himself for a moment, or without ceas- 

 ing to keep up his action, 

 the following method may 

 be pursued : The loose, dis- 

 engaged ends of all the 

 reins that extend beyond 



Fig. 27. -Double bridle; all the indeX fin g er f the left 

 reins in the bridle-hand. hand mugt be taken be _ 



1, upper reins, snaffle ; 2, lower 



reins, curb. tween the thumb and fore- 



finger of the right hand, care being taken dur- 

 ing this manoeuvre to keep up the support to 

 the horse with this hand ; the grasp of the left 

 hand upon the reins must now be sufficiently 

 relaxed to allow this hand to slide along the 

 reins downward to shorten them, or upward to 

 lengthen them; this must be effected without 

 deranging their adjustment; when the proper 

 range has been obtained, remove the right 

 hand. 

 To shorten the curb and lengthen the 



