THE BAEB AND THE BRIDLE. 45 



liorse should be halted. Thus : A light -firm feeling of both reins, to 

 check his forward movement ; the leg closed tightly at the same 

 time, to keep him up to the hand ; the reins to be eased as soon as 

 the horse is halted. The aids for reining back should then be 

 explained as follows : Closing the hands firmly on the reins, the 

 rider should feel the horse's mouth as though the reins were made of 

 silken thread instead of leather, and close her leg quietly to keep 

 him up to the hand. There should be no dead pull at the horse's 

 mouth, but the reins should be eased at every step he takes back- 

 wards, which, if the aids are smoothly and truly applied, he will do 

 without throwing his haunches either in or out. In the early lessons 

 the pupil should not be allowed to rein her horse back more than 

 two or three steps at a time. The use of reining back is to bring 

 the greater weight from the horse's forehand to his haunches, to 

 collect him and make him light in hand. (See " Aid Book.") It is 

 also of great use in assisting the pupil to correct her own aplomb in 

 the saddle, and acquire a true appui on the horse's mouth. Every 

 movement of the hand of the rider, however, and every step of the 

 horse, should be carefully watched by the instructor. The horse 

 should never be allowed to hurry back, as that will at once enable 

 him to get behind his bridle. 



These lessons at a walk, the turns to the right and left, turns 

 about and reining back, should be continued until the pupil executes 

 them with precision. Her position should be rigidly attended to, all 

 stiffness avoided, and nothing in the shape of careless sitting 

 allowed to pass unnoticed. I repeat, the early lessons should, if 

 anything, be a little overdone in the way of exactness, because any 

 careless habit acquired at sach a stage is most difficult to get rid of 

 afterwards. When the pupil is thoroughly au fait at her walking 

 lesson, she should commence the next important section, that, namely, 

 of learning to trot, the formula of which I will endeavour to explain 

 in my next chapter, concluding this with a description of the form in 

 which a lady should dismount, and the assistance that should be 

 be afforded by the master. 



Having halted the horse in the centre of the school, his head 

 should be held by a steady groom. The lady should then pass the 



