REINING-BACK. 93 



his draught animal push back a heavy load by raising 

 the animal's head and by forcing him to throw all his 

 weight into the breeching. In the latter, which is alone 

 applicable to saddle work, the horse increases the proportion 

 of weight on his forehand by lowering his head, and con- 

 sequently gives freedom and lightness to his hind legs in 

 the backward movement. If it be right for a horse to be 

 light in front when going forward, it is surely correct for 

 him to be light behind when reining-back. Experience 

 tells us that the best way for a horse to rein-back is in 

 diagonal two time (that of the trot), namely, near fore and 

 off hind ; and off fore and near hind. The most effective 

 method of obtaining this movement is to bend the head 

 and neck away from the side of the least advanced hind leg, 

 so as to fix the other hind leg, for the moment, by placing 

 the preponderance of weight on it. On both reins being 

 then felt, and the hind quarter of the side opposite to that 

 to which the head is turned, being prevented by some 

 suitable aid from swinging round, the horse will readily lift 

 and draw back the hind leg which bears the least weight, 

 and will follow it by the opposite fore leg. To obtain the 

 next step, the head is turned to the opposite side, and the 

 reversed aids applied. Thus, if we wish to commence the 

 rein-back with the off hind — supposing that both hind legs 

 are equally advanced — we turn the head to the left by a 

 stronger feeling on the near rein, and having applied some 

 appropriate aid (such as the leg or whip, if riding ; or rein, 

 if using the long reins) to the off flank or quarter in order 

 to keep the hind-quarters straight, we " feel " both reins, so 

 as to make the horse step back with his off hind and near 



