LEADING HORSES WHEN MOUNTED. 315 



only safe way of leading a horse in such circumstances, 

 would be to lead him on foot, to keep on his off side, and 

 to obey the ordinary rule of the road for carriages. 



To lead a horse with a snaffle when mounted, we pass both 

 reins through the near snaffle ring (Fig. 52), if the led horse is 

 to be on our off side ; and vice versa. If the led horse wears 

 a double bridle and both reins are on his neck, we place the 

 snaffle reins outside the bit reins, draw them over the animal's 

 head, and pass them through the near or off snaffle ring, as the 

 case may be. If the reins are off the horse's neck, we place the 

 curb reins on his neck, and adjust the snaffle reins as before 

 described. When leading a horse with a double bridle, it is 

 generally advisable to shorten the curb reins by means of a 

 running knot, as may be required ; so that they may not hang 

 down, and get caught by one of the animal's fore legs, for 

 instance. 



