56 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 



the single rein, in the full grasp of the hand ; and the reins 

 of the curb to be held with the middle joint of the second 

 finger from the thumb between them. When the reins of the 

 snaffle are crossed from one hand into the other, those of the 

 curb should also be shifted to the second finger of that hand. 

 In this way, — especially in breaking horses to the bit, — the 

 bit may be used to induce them to bend or collect themselves, 

 and the snaffle to turn them. Violent habitual pullers will 

 sometimes be beaten from their modes of resisting the bit, 

 by this double bearing on their mouths. In this case I should 

 recommend the reins of both bridles being used at once, pre- 

 cisely in the way laid down for the reins of a single bridle, 

 except that the snaffle and curb reins should be kept 

 separated by the fourth finger of each hand. 



A martingale should in no case be used except as a 

 defence ; that is, supposing the necessity of mounting a 

 high, harsh hand on a susceptible horse. In this case, an 

 easy snaffle, with a running martingale, will at least 



