RIDING TO HOUNDS 253 



The bit should at all times be just felt with a 

 light, but steady touch. It is no sign of light 

 hands, as some riders flatter themselves it is, to 

 ride a not very keen horse with the reins hanging 

 in festoons ! Such a rider is not really in touch 

 with his horse, and before he can give any 

 indication of his wishes, must first commence by 

 tightening his reins, thereby losing time. Indica- 

 tions given to the horse by the bit must at the 

 same instant be supplemented with pressure by 

 the legs, and a well-trained horse soon learns to 

 interpret these so well that he might almost be 

 ridden without a bridle. 



A horse should never be ridden in a snaffle 

 without a nose-band also, for if he chooses to open 

 his mouth, he can render the snafifle of little effect. 

 A nose-band just sufficiently tight to prevent the 

 horse opening his mouth more than a very little, 

 places the animal very much in the power of the 

 rider, so long as his head is in the right place. 

 Some horses learn that if they elevate their noses 

 in the air they can force the snaffle to act only on 

 the corners of the lips, and so get beyond the 

 control of the rider ; and these have to be check- 

 mated by using a martingale. Young raw horses 

 also that go yawing about, and are difficult to 

 steer, absolutely require the steadying influence 

 of a martingale ; and it would be almost, if not 

 quite, as great a handicap to ride such a one with- 

 out a stirrup as in a snaffle bridle without a nose- 

 band and martingale. 



Few grooms seem to understand the right length 

 for a martingale, the usual custom being to have 

 it so short that it only reaches a small way above 

 the animal's chest, about in a line with the withers. 

 This is certainly courting disaster, for though it 



