R litis a.] 



MODERN YT/rEIMXAin' PI{A(^TICE. 



[uiuiNa. 



Adams, an equestrian writer, saya, the 

 body must iilways bo in a situation, not only 

 to preserve its balance, but to maintain its 

 seat. The distinction between the balance 

 and the seat may be thus marked. Tiio 

 balance is the centrical or equilibrium position 

 of the body, whatever may be the motion of 

 the horse. The seat is the horseman's firm 

 hold of the saddle, in situations where he 

 mi«»ht be liable to be thrown over the animal's 

 neck, or to fall backwards over his tail. 



To preserve the balance, it is evident the 

 body of the rider must keep in the same direc- 

 tion as the horse's legs. For example, if the 

 horse move straightly and uprightly on his legs, 

 the body of the rider must be preserved in a posi- 

 tion similarly upright ; but if the horse bends 

 or leans, as when running in a circle, or trot- 

 tinsr round a corner, the rider must lean in 

 the same direction, or his balance will be lost. 

 The balance, indeed, may be preserved by a 

 different seat ; but the seat will not be secure. 



Mr. Adams further remarks, that if the 

 hand is held steady, as the horse advances in 

 the trot, the fingers will feel, by the contrac- 

 tion and dilatation of the reins, a small sensa- 

 tion or tug, occasioned by the measure of 

 every step. This, which is reciprocally felt in 

 the horse's mouth, by means of the corre- 

 spondence, is called the appui ; and while the 

 oppui is preserved between the hand and the 

 mouth, the animal is in perfect obedience ^o 

 the rider, the hand directing him with the 

 greatest ease, so that he seems to work by the 

 will of the rider rather than the manipulative 

 power. The hand then possesses, indepen- 

 dently of other aids, more than sufficient 

 strength to control and direct the horse that 

 is broken and obedient. 



Berenger furnishes us with five directions on, 

 the functions of the hand. They are these: — 



1. Hold your hand three fingers' breadth from 

 your body, as high as your elbow, in such 

 manner that the joint of your little finger be 

 upon a right line with the tip of the elbow ; 

 let your wrist be sufficiently rounded, that 

 your knuckles may be kept directly above the 

 neck of the horse ; let your nails be exactly 

 opposite your body, the little finger nearer to 

 it than the others ; your thumb quite flat 

 upon the reins, which you must separate by 

 vuttiug your little finger between them, the 



right rein lying upon it. Thio is the firut and 

 general position. 



2. Does your honso go furward ; or rather, 

 would you have him go forward ? ]f so, yield 

 to him your hand ; and for that purpose, turn 

 your nails downward in such a manner as to 

 bring your thumb near your body ; remove your 

 little linger from it, and bring it into the place 

 where your knuckles were in the lirst position, 

 keeping your nails directly above the neck of 

 your animal. 



3. If you would make your horse go back- 

 ward, quit the first position, and let your wrist 

 be quite round. Then allow your thumb to bo 

 in the place of the little finger in the second 

 position, and the little finger in that of the 

 thumb ; turn your nails quite upward, and 

 towards your face, and your knuckles will be 

 towards your horse's neck. 



4. If vou would turn your horse to the right, 

 leave the first position, and carry your nails to 

 the right ; then your hand upside down, in 

 such a manner that your thumb be carried out 

 to the lefc, and the little finger be brought to 

 the right. 



o. If you would turn to the left, quit again 

 the first position; carry the back of your 

 hand slightly to the left, so that the knuckles 

 may come under a little, that the thumb may 

 incline to the right, and the little finger to the 

 left. 



These different positions, however, adds 

 Berenger, are, when taken singly, insufficient, 

 unless the horseman be able to pass from the 

 one to the other with readiness and order. 



We have spoken of terrifying the vicious 

 horse into subordination by severity; but a 

 man of right feeling and rellection will always 

 endeavour to render the labour of his animal 

 as little irksome, and as comfortable to him as 

 possible, and will, therefore, give him his reiu, 

 and bear as lightly on his mouth as may be 

 consistent with such a hold upon him as the 

 necessity of the emergency may require. If it 

 appears we have laid much stress on the fixed- 

 ness and grasp of the reins, we intended that 

 grasp, like the curb of the bridal, to be only for 

 occasional use ; but by no means that the rider 

 should be a mere fixture, as though nailed to 

 the saddle. On the contrary, he should learn 

 to sit at his ease, pliable to tlie motions of his 

 horse, and in full possessiou of a just equipoise. 



151 



