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his lower jaw, which reduces the rider's control over 

 him. Thus, high hands with the elbows pointing 

 outwards are indicative of bad horsemanship. The 

 following lines aptly describe the rider's position in 

 the saddle : — 



" Keep your head and your heart well up, 

 Your hands and your heels keep down, 

 Press your knees close to your horse's side, 

 And your elbows close to your own." 



If using a double bridle, the proper way to hold 

 the reins is to bring the snaffle rein through on either 

 side of the third finger of the left hand, the near 

 curb rein round the outside of the little finger, and 

 the off one through between the first and second 

 fingers (Fig. 22). In this manner the reins can be 

 handled with great facility, and the horse turned by 

 one hand in all directions with consummate ease. 



HOW TO RIDE A HORSE AT A TROT. 



In trotting, the reins should be shortened a little 

 by simply drawing them up through the fingers. The 

 snaffle and curb -rein can also be regulated to suit 

 the mouths of different horses by shortening or 

 lengthening either, as the necessities of the case 

 require. The rider should rise gracefully to the 

 motion of the horse, not too high, yet sufficiently 

 high to give the horse time to make his paces. At 

 the same time care should be taken to rise to his 

 right paces. There are some men who are unaware 

 that there is such a thing as a right and a wrong 



