38 Manual of Equitation and Horse Training 



tensity of that effect, and the exact moment to conquer 

 resistances, at least to foresee them. 



The agents of this tact are the legs and hands. 



Tact of the legs. — The legs can scarcely act but in one 

 direction. In their use, then, there is only a question of 

 intensity, which the aid of the spur renders still more en- 

 ergetic. Nevertheless, without entering into a study of 

 the mechanism of the gaits, which is not in the domain of 

 secondary equitation, the rider can, by his seat have a cer- 

 tain feeling of the changing movements which constitute 

 the raising, suspension, and planting of the feet; he can 

 profit by this to hasten or retard their play, destroying, in 

 consequence, the combinations, and by that correcting or 

 modifying the gaits. 



Tact of the hand.— Study of the action of the reins has 

 determined their theoretical effects, but these effects may 

 produce very different results following the quality or 

 faults of the hand which provokes them. 



The qualities of a good hand are steadiness, lightness, 

 softness, firmness. 



To have a steady hand does not mean that the hand 

 shall remain immovable; it should, on the contrary, move 

 up, down, to the right, and left, according to need, but in 

 the execution of this, it should be free from all involuntary 

 or useless motion. 



This quality is the first to be sought, and the most im- 

 portant of all; without it, the others will scarcely be pres- 

 ent. The unsteady hand can have neither lightness, soft- 

 ness, nor firmness; its indications are uncertain and the 

 most attentive horse can not obey its incoherent actions. 



A light hand maintains the merest contact with the 

 horse's mouth. 



A soft hand gives a support. 



A firm hand gives a frank, decided bearing. 



The hand should know how to resist authoritatively 

 when necessary, but should give way as soon as the resis- 

 tance disappears and should return to the softness which 

 is alwaj'^s the union between lightness and firmness. It is 

 in this sense that a good hand has been defined as "a force 

 in the fingers equal to the resistance of the horse, but 

 never greater." (De Lancosme-Breves.) 



Actions of the hand vary in extent and intensity with 

 the degree of training of the horse. Wide and extended 



