THE BAKE AND THE BRIDLE. 57 



general position, and the firmness and correct placing of both legs — 

 the heels well down, the upper part of the body well drawn up from 

 the waist, " the whole figure pliant and accompanying every move- 

 ment of the horse" (see "Military Aid Book"). 



The lady should commence the lesson by walking her horse two or 

 three times round the school ; and it is here, by close attention, that 

 she will learn that light hands are neither " heaven-born" nor 

 impossible to acquire. On pressing the horse forward with her leg 

 or whip, so as to make him walk up against the curb, it is possible 

 her hand may be a little heavy, and that the horse may resist it. In 

 this case, if not cautious and carefully watched, she will let her 

 hands go forward. It is for the instructor to take special 

 care of this, and point out to his pupil how she can ease the 

 reins through her left hand by the aid of the right, so as to 

 catch the true appid, without yielding altogether to the horse. In 

 other words, she should allow sufiicient rein to go through her hand 

 to enable the horse to walk freely forward ; and then, closing her 

 fingers again firmly, make him go up to every hair's breadth of rein 

 she has given him, and fairly against the curb. There should 

 not be a particle of slack rein. In fact, it may be received as 

 a sound principle in riding that there should never be slack reins, no 

 matter what the pace. If you give your horse the full length of 

 the reins even, make him go up to them. 



When once the lady has gained the above-named ojjjmi (the right 

 hand assisting the left), she should be instructed to halt her horse 

 lightly on his haunches preparatory to reining back. And again she 

 should do this by drawing the reins through the fingers of her left 

 hand with the right, keeping the former perfectly steady, and 

 drawing her own figure well up, in order to avoid any tendency to 

 lean forward. On the word " Rein back," which should be given in 

 a very quiet tone of voice, and in the exact cadence in which 

 the master desires his pupil to move her horse to the rear, the lady 

 should feel both reins lightly but firmly for a moment, closing at the 

 same instant her leg so as to keep her horse's haunches under him, 

 in the manner before described when using the snafile only, but in 

 the present case with greater care and precision. Lightly and Jirmly 



