HOLDING THE REINS 299 



ble pressure needs the greatest possible freedom. Thus 

 the overdraw has its legitimate use. To use it for any 

 other purpose is to abuse it. A trotting-horse can stand 

 it during a race lasting a few minutes; but, when a 

 poor dumb brute is made to carry his head out of a 

 natural position for hours, it becomes a torture. So 

 universal has the fashion for overdraws become that, 

 unless it is especially ordered, you can hardly find any- 

 thing else on a ready-made single harness. It is, as 

 above stated, from this same source, and with no more 

 reason, that Americans have copied the prevailing 

 style in this country of holding the reins when driving. 

 The proper way of holding the reins when driving is 

 to take them in the left hand; the nigh, or left rein 

 coming into the hand over the forefinger, the off, or 

 right rein corning into the hand between the middle and 

 ring finger. The left hand holds the reins; the driving 

 or guiding is to be done by the right hand, which carries 

 the whip and manipulates the reins. The arm of the 

 driver from shoulder to elbow hangs naturally, the fore- 

 arm nearly at right angles to the same; the hands 

 nearly meet in front of the body in a perfectly natural 

 position, thumbs uppermost. This position of the hands 

 and reins gives to the driver the best possible control of 

 the lines, at the same time enabling him to keep at all 

 times a light touch on the horse's mouth, which is not 

 only the proper way but the way all horses prefer to be 

 driven. A horse properly bitted or mouthed as a colt, 

 and the sensitiveness of the mouth preserved, the 

 slightest touch of either rein with the pressure of a 

 finger will be quite sufficient to quiet him. 



