234 / ON TRAINING GROOMS 



his breeches being loose, should just lightly brush the 

 top of it as he is directed to move his body forward 

 and backward. This length answers the purpose well 

 enough at first, until the boy gets more inured to the 

 habit of riding ; he will then exercise his own judgment 

 in this respect. The bridle-reins are knotted at a well- 

 proportioned length, so as to enable the boy to have a 

 very firm hold of the horse's head, whenever he finds 

 such to be necessary. He should now be directed to sit 

 upright, but well down in his saddle, keeping his knees 

 and the calves of his legs tightly pressed to its flaps ; 

 his toes should be as much turned in and up as the hold 

 with his knees and the calves of his legs will admit; 

 and with his feet rather forward, he should have a pretty 

 firm hold of his stirrups. He is to be told the distance 

 he is to keep from the horse in front of him. 



He is next to be directed almost invariably to keep 

 his hands well down ; more particularly when the horse 

 is going up his gallop, they must be well down on each 

 side the horse's withers. The boy's hands thus placed 

 give him some support against the horse whenever he 

 feels inclined to pull, nor is he to move his hands from 

 this position (walking exercise excepted) unless to take 

 a pull ; if the horse should be making too free with him- 

 self in the gallop, he may then move his hands to take 

 a pull, or rather, first gradually give with the reins, and 

 take the pull afterwards. By these means the horse's 

 mouth is kept alive, or, in other words, sensible to the 

 pressure of the bit; and thereby the boy is enabled to 

 hold the horse in the gallop, and to pull him up at the 



