66 THE BAEB AND THE BRIDLE. 



CHAPTER YIII. 



The Trotting Lesson {continued). 



I COME now to the final section of tlie trotting lesson— that "which, 

 thoroughly acquired, I may term the thorough bass of the matter. 

 Having satisfied himseK that his pupil has command of her horse, 

 steady seat and hands, and true balance when riding equally on the 

 snaffle and curb, the master should proceed to instruct her as to the 

 mode of arranging the reins so as to ride on the curb alone. 



As this has been abeady described, it is needless to repeat the 

 formula. I may observe, however, that, in order to give increased 

 facility of action to the bridle hand, and avoid anything like sudden 

 jerk or rough pull upon the horse's mouth, it is best for the lady to 

 retain the end of the curb reins between the fore finger and thumb 

 of her right hand, by doing which she is enabled, keeping her 

 left hand perfectly steady, and opening and closing the fingers, to 

 give easy play to the reins. Without this she would find riding on 

 the curb alone difficult at first with the left hand only, because 

 all the motion must come from the wrist, and considerable practice 

 is necessary to accommodate this motion exactly to the action of the 

 horse. Care should be taken that the elbows are kept well back, so 

 as to preserve the suppleness of the waist, and by this time also the 

 pupil ought to have acquired sufficient steadiness in the saddle to 

 admit of her giving easy play to the uj^per part of the arm at 

 the shoulder joint. But until complete firmness of seat is gained 

 this should not be attempted, because in the case of a novice it 

 disconnects the figure, and interferes with the horse's mouth materi- 

 ally. The most rigid attention also should be given to the pupil's 



