198 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



as use is second nature as the old saying has it I 

 prefer it to any other method and still continue 

 to adopt it. So I shall give it here. The near- 

 side curb rein is placed outside the fourth finger 

 of the left hand ; then the near-side snaffle is 

 placed between the fourth and third fingers, 

 the far-side snaffle between the third and second 

 fingers, and the remaining rein between the second 

 and first fingers. The ends of the reins are then 

 turned up through the palm of the hand and placed 

 on the outside of the first finger, the thumb being 

 placed on them to keep them in place. Of 

 course when galloping it is desirable always to 

 have the reins in both hands but this is easily 

 managed. The late Harry Custance once told 

 me that I was holding my reins incorrectly. 

 Perhaps I was, but as I showed him I had perfect 

 control of my horse, and never got my reins 

 mixed up. And what more is necessary ? I 

 should add that this is an adaptation of the 

 military method which Capt. Hayes criticises as 

 being less secure than the plan he advocates, which 

 I will now proceed to give in his own words : — 



'' The forefinger of, say, the left hand 

 separates the two off reins ; the third finger or 

 the little finger divides the two near ones, and 

 the reins are crossed in the palm of the hand as 

 with single reins. It is convenient to have the 

 reins on which we want to have the stronger pull, 

 on the outside. If the rider wishes to use only one 

 rein, he may hold it crossed in his hand, and may 



