RIDING FOR BEGINNERS 



leaping horn, and both horns in the grasp of your 

 two knees ; lean over the horse's right shoulder, 

 and as you thus sway, bring your left foot against 

 his ribs, and just move the bits in his mouth ; or 

 you may touch him down the off-shoulder with 

 your whip so that he may associate the signal of 

 heel and stick, and canter finally from the whip- 

 tap alone. He should lead with his right, and if 

 he does not you will immediately notice it ; pull 

 up and start again. Keep him up to the bit, that 

 he may bend and collect himself, as he must to 

 canter comfortably for you, and do not let him 

 go so fast that he gallops. It will be hard for 

 you to make him nicely perform this pace until 

 equipped with the " full bridle," that is, bit and 

 bridoon, and in two weeks from your beginning 

 you may probably be promoted to this combina- 

 tion of bits and reins. 



Most people hold the curb reins inside, and 

 the snaffle outside the little finger (that is, in two- 

 handed riding ; the writer neither advocates nor 

 will describe one-handed riding, which is utterly 

 unnecessary, and an absurd affectation in civilian 

 equestrianism). The writer holds the curb out- 

 side the little finger of each hand ; the snaffle (or 

 bridoon) between that finger and the third ; all 



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