AIDS AND DEFENCES. 



All such motions of the body, the hands, the legs, 

 and the whip, as either indicate the rider's wishes, or, 

 in some degree, assist the horse to fulfil them, are, 

 in the art of riding, denominated aids; and those 

 movements of the rider which tend to save the animal 

 from disuniting himself, or running into danger, may, 

 properly enough, he classed under the same title : while 

 such as act for the preservation of the rider, against 

 the attempts of the horse, when headstrong or vicious, 

 are termed defences. 



The aids of the hand are considered the most im- 

 portant : all the other actions of the rider tending, 

 principally, to assist the bridle-hand and carry its 

 operations into complete effect. There shoidd be a 

 perfect harmony in the aids ; and all of them ought to 

 be governed by those of the rein. In many instances, 

 the power of a movement performed by the hand may 

 be destroyed by the omission of a correct accompanying 

 aid or defence, with the body, or the leg. Thus : — if 

 a horse rear, it is useless for the rider to afford him a 

 slack rein, if she do not also lean forward, in order, 

 by throwing her weight on his fore-parts, to bring him 

 down, and also to save herself from falling backward 

 over his haunches. Should the rider, when her horse 



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