HOW TO TRAIN A COLT. 219 



who have small hands, it may be dropped altogether. 

 A firm grasp on each rein, with the backs of the hands 

 up, and without any wrap, is thus obtained. It is a 

 great point in driving to be able to shift the reach, — 

 that is, the length of the hold you take, — without, for 

 an instant, letting go of the horse's head. With this 

 way of holding the reins, it is easily done. If I want to 

 shorten the hold on the left-hand rein (the near rein), I 

 take hold of that rein just behind the left hand with the 

 thumb and forefinger of the right hand, and steady it. 

 This is very easily done ; and it does not interfere at all 

 with the command of the off rein with the right hand. 

 The near rein being thus steadied behind the left hand, 

 I slide that hand forward on the rein, which is kept 

 over the little finger, under the other three fingers, and 

 over the thumb all the time, and then shut the grasp 

 again on the new reach. A shift with the right hand 

 is made just in the same way, — by taking hold and 

 steadying the rein behind that hand with the thumb 

 and forefinger of the left hand. 



" I have often observed, that, with other methods of 

 holding the reins, there was great difficulty in shifting 

 the reach. The driver tries to do it ; but, for an instant, 

 he has let go of the horse's head on one side altogether, 

 and broken his stride. When this is found to be the 

 case, the dead pull all the time is adopted ; and this 

 spoils the freedom and elasticity of the horse's stride, 

 and chokes his wind. I do not intend this to be taken 

 as instruction for professional drivers. Every driver 



