IO8 ROAD, PARK, AND SCHOOL 



right hand upon the right snaffle rein. When he 

 has arrived at the spot where the change of direction 

 is to be made, he will turn the head of the horse to 

 the right by a direct pull upon the right snaffle rein ; 

 as soon as the horse begins to answer that rein he 

 will turn his left hand so that the thumb points to 

 his right shoulder, and carry that hand to the right, in 

 order that the left curb rein may come against the left 

 side of the neck of the horse. Both the right hand, 

 with the right snaffle rein, and the left hand, with the 

 curb reins, will govern the bend of the head of the 

 horse by being borne more or less to the right as the 

 animal is required to turn the head more or less. 

 This action of the bridle hand will (apart from the 

 first effect which is a direct action upon the right 

 side of the mouth of the horse, and the touch of the 

 rein upon the neck which in time becomes potent) 

 cause the bit to operate upon the left side of the 

 horse's mouth in such a manner that the head will 

 be carried to the right. This effect of the opposite 

 rein is very different from that of the same rein 

 drawn back without the intervention of the neck. 

 And there is no difficulty in teaching the horse to 

 recognise at once the distinction between the opposite 

 rein and the direct rein if the rider does not confuse 

 the horse by the way he gives the indications ; for, 

 while it is better to teach the horse to regard signals 



