HORSEMANSHIP. 33^ 



The hand should always give the first 

 warning, and the legs should accompany its 

 movements, for it is a general principle in all 

 the gaits of a horse, that the head and shoul- 

 ders of a horse should set out first. Now, as 

 the horse has four principal gaits, which are, 

 to go forwards, to draw backwards, to go to 

 the right or to the left, so the bridle must 

 produce four different effects, to let go the 

 hand, withdraw it, and to turn it, to the right 

 or left. 



There are two ways of yielding the hand : 

 the first is, to bend the hand downwards by 

 turning the nails of the hand a little under ; 

 the second is, to take the reins with the right 

 hand, loosening them a little in the left hand ; 

 which makes the feeling of the bit pass from 

 the latter to the other, and in a word, to let 

 the right hand fall upon the neck by relaxing 

 altogether the reins of the left hand, which is 

 called, letting the hand fall. The action of 

 holding the hand, or letting the hand fall, is 

 for the purpose of pushing the horse forwards. 

 The true time of executing this usefully, is 

 after having marked a half stop, and when the 

 horse bends his hips, but not whilst he is upon 

 his shoulders. 



