MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE. 



153 



Fig. 20. — Snaflle-reins ; both in the left 

 hand. 



For this purpose, the reins being held for the 

 time beino; in the 

 right hand, the 

 left, having its 

 back toward the 

 horse's head, will 

 seize them as fol- 

 lows : its little 

 finger must be 

 passed directly 

 between the tw^o reins, the left rein being on 

 the outer side of this finger and the right one 

 on its right side, between it and the third fin- 

 ger. This done, the reins must be drawn up 

 nearly even to the marks upon them,^ so as just 

 to feel the animal's mouth, noticing that these 

 marks are nearly on a line wdth each other, 

 while that portion of the reins lying within the 

 hand must be carried across its palm to the 

 index finger, to a point between its first and 

 second joints, against which point, being placed 

 evenly with one overlying the other, they are 



^ It is stated in this paragraph that the marks on the reins 

 should be " n<;arly even," or " nearly qn a line with each other," 

 because, in its passage under the little finger, across the hand, 

 and on the outside o^he right rein, the left one will be shortened 

 so that its marking will be about half an inch nearer the bit than 

 that of the right one; consequently, in order to make the pres- 

 sure upon the horse's mouth even, the right rein will have to be 

 shortened to the extent named. 



