HANDS 



it, a young horse should be allowed to move as 

 far as he likes from an object he fears, then be 

 stopped and encouraged to have a good look at 

 it, and, finally, made to walk up to the object 

 and smell it. If a horse whizzes round, he 

 should be made to complete the circle in the 

 one movement. 



There are various ways of holding the reins. 

 The usual English manner is to have the left 

 reins, curb and snaffle, separated by the little 

 finger, or the little and third fingers of the left 

 hand, and the right reins either separated by 

 the second finger of the left hand or placed 

 between the thumb and first finger ; in the first 

 case the ends of the reins pass upwards 

 between the thumb and first finger ; in the 

 second case the ends of the left reins pass 

 between the first and second fingers, whilst the 

 right reins pass through the palm of the hand. 

 Except perhaps when hunting, the curb rein 

 should be on the outside. If a horse is inclined 

 to get his head down, it is best to have the 

 right reins between the thumb and first finger. 

 The hands have the nicest and most even 

 feeling on the horse's mouth when the knuckles 

 are horizontal and thumbs near one another, 

 they also find it more natural to drop than 

 to rise, whereas when the knuckles are vertical 



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