36 Horse and Man. 



vertical, the fore-arms parallel to each other, 

 and the hands at the height of the elbows. 

 Hold the rein in the full grasp of both hands, 

 at such a length that you can just feel the 

 pressure of the horse's mouth upon the bit ; 

 and secure it from slipping by your thumbs. 

 Take particular care that your shoulders, 

 elbows and wrists are perfectly supple, and 

 prepared to play loosely with every movement 

 of the horse's head. Let the rest of your 

 body remain in its ordinary position. 



Now let your horse move forward at a 

 steady walk. You will find that the moment 

 he begins to advance his neck begins to 

 stretch and contract with every step he makes. 

 Give your whole attention to the effect of this 

 movement upon your arms. Keep them so 

 loose and easy that they yield to every stretch 

 of the horse's neck, but at the same time let 

 them draw lightly towards you whenever the 

 opposition of his mouth gives way. En- 

 deavour in this manner to preserve one gentle 

 and uniform feeling of the horse's bars, 

 neither allowing the rein to tighten when he 

 extends himself nor to slacken when he con- 

 tracts himself. Avoid any attempt to alter 



