HINTS ON RIDING 105 



content oneself with a very simple way (used very 

 little in this country, but almost exclusively in Eng- 

 land) which serves equally well for all purposes, at all 

 times, and applies equally well to a snaffle or to a 

 double bridle. 



To hold the reins of a snaffle you do as follows: 

 With the hand held so that the knuckles are to the 

 front, place the left hand over the near (left) rein, 

 grasping it so that the rein lies across the palm* and 

 passes out of the hand between the forefinger and 

 thumb, with the slack of the rein falling over the back 

 of the thumb. Then take up the off (right) rein in 

 the right hand in the same manner, but lay the slack 

 of the rein across the palm of the left hand on top of 

 the left rein, so that the reins are thereby crossed over 

 and lie on top of each other. The wrists should not 

 be rounded, but allowed to fall without stiffness in a 

 natural way, bringing the knuckles to the front in 

 more or less of a horizontal rather than a vertical posi- 

 tion. 



The above style of crossing the reins is similar to 

 the one almost entirely used by jockeys on the race- 

 track, and when the rider shortens the reins and slides 

 up on a horse's neck in a race or over a jump, it is 

 called the " Nelson wrap." The mistake should not be 

 made, however, of letting go the right rein with the 

 right hand and endeavoring to ride with one hand 

 only; both hands should always be kept on the reins 

 except on occasions in which the right hand is needed 

 for the whip or to adjust something — in which case it 

 can easily be lifted off without rearranging the reins. 

 Riding with but one hand on the reins is very bad form 



* It is also permissible to hold a snaffle rein so that it runs between 

 the little and fourth fingers, passing out of the hand as stated above. 



