Manual of Equitation and Horse Training 25 



rider displaces the horse's head towards the right; the right 

 rein is then the opening rein. The rider should avoid 

 pulling on the rein from front to rear, or opening the elbow 

 from the body. 



(b) If the rider accentuates the movement of the 

 right hand toward the right, the neck follows the head, the 

 shoulders follow the neck, the horse faces to the right 

 while advancing. 



2. In giving the right opening rein a tension from 

 front to rear, the rider draws the shoulders of his horse to 

 the rear and right and forces him to throw his haunches to 

 the left. The right rein then takes the name "direct rein 

 of opposition." This action should be produced by fixing 

 the hand, the fingers being closed on one adjusted rein. 



3. (a) In carrying the right hand forward and to the 

 left, the rider draws the horse's muzzle to the right and 

 weights the left shoulder by loading it with the greater 

 part of the weight of the neck. The right rein is then 

 called the contrary or bearing rein. 



(5) If the rider accentuates the movement of the 

 right hand toward the left, the increase of weight which 

 results should break the equilibrium and turn the horse 

 toward the left. This turn is made while advancing. 



In giving to the bearing rein (right) a tension from 

 front to rear, tw^o effects may be produced according as 

 the tension of the rein passes in front or in rear of the 

 withers. 



4. If produced in front of the withers— that is, toward 

 the left shoulder— the shoulders are drawn to the rear and 

 left, the horse faces to the left in backing, if he was stand- 

 ing still; he turns to the left while slowing up if he was in 

 march. 



5. If the tension of the rein passes in rear of the 

 withers— that is, in the direction of the left haunch— the 

 rein acts on the whole mass of the horse and pushes both 

 forehand and haunches to the left. If the horse is in march 

 this diagonal action of the right rein, while bending him to 

 the right, pushes him obliquely forward and to the left as 

 much more energetically as the impulsion is more power- 

 ful. , ^ . 



These two actions (fourth and fifth effects) of bearmg 

 reins, each tending to oppose the shoulders to the haunches, 

 are called bearing reins of opposition. 



