42 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 



to shorten the reins for that purpose, place both hands at the 

 centre of the reins. Separate the hands by drawing them 

 smoothly and lightly along the reins, till there are about 

 eighteen inches or two feet between the hands. Then bring the 

 hands together, letting the loop of the reins fall, and hang 

 downwards between the hands. In this way a lady should 

 first take up her reins when she mounts, and a gentleman 

 when his reins are on his horse's neck, or when he changes 

 the bridle with which he rides. A gentleman cannot ride too 

 much with his reins thus separated, as he has the power of 

 urging his horse up to his hands with his two legs ; nor can 

 a lady, provided the horse is going freely up to the bit. But 

 should the lady's horse require the whip to keep him up to 

 the bit, she must cross the reins in the left hand, by letting 

 the right rein slip through the right hand, far enough to 

 allow the right hand to pass behind the left ; laying the right 

 rein flat on the left rein, and securing both between the tips 

 of the second and third finders and the thumb of the l< j ft 



