TRAINING. I I 3 



thumb against the forefinger, the hand held high 

 or low as the horse requires the head to be elevated 

 or lowered, the thumb pointing towards the horse's 

 ears. The right hand, carried above the left hand, 

 should hold the snaffle reins ; and when it is 

 necessary to employ the latter, the left hand will 

 for the moment release the tension upon the curb 

 reins, the tension upon the curb reins being resumed 

 when the snaffle reins cease to act. 



We must now begin to teach the horse the 

 indirect indications of the curb reins, although the 

 horse must always be obedient to the direct indica- 

 tions of the curb bit as well as of the snaffle. But, 

 as I shall explain, the direct and the indirect 

 indications of the curb reins are not incompatible, 

 and if the latter only are taught there is danger of 

 the horse mistaking the meaning of a direct touch 

 upon the curb reins. 



To turn the horse to the right, the right snaffle 

 rein, supported and its effects measured by the 

 left snaffle rein, will begin the turn, and as soon 

 as the head bends in the new direction the left hand 

 will be carried to the right so that the left curb 

 rein will take a tension against the left side of the 

 neck of the horse : this interposition of the neck will 

 give to the curb bit an indication similar to the 

 direct tension upon the snaffle rein. As soon as 



p 



