HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 59 



be used most powerfully, without requiring any adjustment. 

 They should be so knotted previously to trying any of the 

 feats of the Eastern horseman, such as picking a piece of 

 money from the ground at a gallop, jumping off, or vaulting 

 on, or over, at a gallop, or using both hands to fire a carbine 

 to the rear, at a gallop, &c. &c. The reins should never be so 

 knotted in hunting, or in swimming a horse ; for, by catching 

 across the neck, they act like a bearing-rein, and oblige the 

 horse to carry his nose in, and his head up. In hunting, this 

 would bring his hind legs on his fences, and oblige him to leap 

 from the top of his banks, and, as it is called, to land all fours, 

 instead of extending himself, and letting himself down gently. 

 In swimming, it pulls his nose down, and obliges him to swim 

 with his head and neck out of water. 



For common riding the objection is, that you cannot lengthen 

 or shorten the rein ; therefore, to give more liberty, or to 

 collect the horse more, the hand must go from or to the body. 

 If, therefore, the reins be knotted, so that the hands should 



