106 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



and extremely awkward-looking, excepting in the case 

 of the military man who has to have his sword-hand 

 free, or the poloist, who needs his right hand for his 

 stick. Holding the reins in one hand necessitates a 

 much shorter hold than if they were held in two; it 

 reduces the rider's control over the horse, and, in order 

 to maintain an even pressure on the animal's mouth, 

 requires that the hand be held in the centre line of 

 the horse's body, a position as ugly as it is uncom- 

 fortable. 



Double reins should be held in exactly the same 

 way as single reins, ' except that the little fingers on 

 both hands separate the bit and bridoon reins on each 

 side. To proceed in picking up double reins, grasp 

 the left bridoon (snaffle) rein with the left hand in the 

 manner already mentioned, allowing it to pass out of 

 the hand between the forefinger and thumb. Then 

 pass the left bit (curb) rein between the fourth finger 

 and the little finger of the left hand,* letting this, too, 

 pass out of the hand between the forefinger and the 

 thumb; the slack of both left reins to fall over the 

 back of the thumb. Now take up the right bridoon 

 and bit reins in the same manner with the right hand; 



* The method of having the bit rein between the little finger and 

 the fourth finger, which thus brings it on the inside is preferred by 

 most good horsemen, and is, therefore, described here. In actual 

 practice the question as to which rein should be on the inside must 

 be determined by the amount of control which is to be exercised on 

 that rein, for we can work the inside rein more effectively than we 

 can the outside rein, inasmuch as we can bring the fourth finger to bear 

 down against it without even moving our wrist. For general use, and 

 in particular for hacking, the bit rein should be the predominant rein, 

 and therefore should be on the inside as described ; but in some cases, 

 where the horse goes better on the bridoon, or occasionally in hunting, 

 it may be reversed and the bridoon put on the inside and the bit on the 

 outside, and at such a length that there is little or no pressure exerted 

 on it, unless the hands are rotated inwardly and the little fingers closed 

 on the palms of the hands. 



