THE HORSE : ITS KEEP AND MANAGEMENT. 1 29 



when they have been treated properly, in a few weeks' time, 

 they have been worth six times as much as they were sold 

 for. This is simply owing to the new owner knowing how 

 to drive and treat them properly. I am aware many young 

 horses are spoiled in breaking in, I have dealt with this in 

 the chapter on that subject. I am assuming now that the 

 animals have been properly broken in. Many persons who 

 are not accustomed to drive go along with too loose a rein 

 and hold their hands too near their body, so that if the 

 horse makes a stumble they have no power over it. A good 

 horse driver, who understands his business well, 

 keeps his hands out from the body, and if the horse shies 

 or stumbles he has it well in hand. I do not mean to say 

 a horse should always be held in very tightly, because some 

 have a very tender mouth, while others have a very hard one 

 In all cases they should be driven so that the driver can 

 just feel the horse's mouth, and the reins should not be 

 allowed to dangle on its back. 



It is often a mystery to me why more people do not 

 get their neck broken in driving, because some people let 

 the horse have its own way entirely, and just jog along with 

 the reins on the horse's back. The driver should not only 

 hold the reins fairly tight, so as to have his horse well in 

 hand, but should have one rein between the thumb and 

 first finger, and the other between the large finger and 

 third finger. Some people hold the reins between the 

 thumb and first finger and the large and second finger, but 

 those who do this should practise holding the reins in the 

 way I have described, as it gives the driver more power over 



the horse. 

 H 



