BRIDLES AND BRIDLING. 6l 



use and not the abuse of the curb. In the absence of such 

 knowledge, I will merely state generally that the curb is 

 to be used lightly, and whatever pulling is done should 

 be done on the snaffle ; your horse being broken, he will 

 yield to either. Now, by often riding, with a light hand 

 on your curb, and a little heavier on your snaffle, not 

 keeping a steady pull, for support, do that by your knees, 

 but now raising him a little, and again letting him have 

 his head to stretch out his neck ; and now gather your reins 

 up, and so keep changing ; you will soon have control of 

 your reins by holding them in this wise: curb rein to be 

 held outside of little finger, and between that and the 

 next finger ; snaffle between the next two fingers, so that 

 when the hand is half turned up and reins thrown over 

 forefinger the curb reins (two together) are on the top 

 and snaffle beneath them. Now close your thumb on 

 them and hold it there. Having your curb on the top 

 and snaffle below, you can shorten or lengthen either or 

 both, as you please. You can give your hand by extend- 

 ing it, or take it by pulling quietly back a little. I say 

 nothing about martingales, as I prefer persons being taught 

 to ride without their use, unless in the very first stages, 

 and then with a snaffle bit for a few days only. 



2d. Seat. Should be an easy, home-like sort of seat ; 

 not stiff, but an easy kind of firmness. Head and body 

 erect, shoulders well back, elbows in, and hands down, 

 almost level with front of saddle ; no stiffness or dead 

 weight of any kind about, but a regular elastic seat, which 

 is the one of all others for ease and comfort to both rider 

 and horse. The stirrup now comes in and plays its part 

 towards giving that elasticity I so much admire. The 

 stirrup-strap should be so regulated that, the leg from 

 the knee down hanging straight, the ball of the foot 

 should rest on it with ease and comfort, so that you can 



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