SCHOOL RIDING 273 



deprecates '' the dull and heavy kicking of the 

 limbs '' which is frequently seen in the untaught 

 and impatient horseman, and perhaps the use of 

 the hands and legs in School riding will be more 

 readily understood if I give his description of 

 putting a horse into a canter. 



'' A Hght and firm feeUng of both reins to 

 raise the horse's forehand ; a pressure of both 

 legs to bring his haunches under him ; a double 

 feeling of the inward rein, and a stronger pressure 

 of the outward leg will oblige the horse to strike 

 off true and united/' 



It should not be necessary to add that in 

 School riding — nor indeed at any other time for 

 the matter of that — ^the reins should never be 

 jerked, a very frequent fault of a rider who is at 

 a loss what to do when his horse is inclined to be 

 self-willed. And when on the subject of reins 

 let me impress upon the learner, and every one 

 whom it may concern, never to let the horse 

 draw the reins through his hands. It is not, as 

 is sometimes erroneously thought, a sign of good 

 hands but the contrary. The reins should be 

 firmly held and at a fair length from the bit, and 

 in such a position that the chance of an involun- 

 tary tug at them is reduced to a minimum. There 

 is another matter about which particular care 

 must be taken. It will be noticed that in the 

 directions for the various movements both legs 

 and both hands are always mentioned. Now 

 when an increased pressure of either one hand or 

 one leg or both is necessary for the performance 



