Op the Hand. 85 



on the other at the same time, pressing the 

 haunches under. By this means the horse will 

 become more united, and the appui will be light- 

 ened. 



Should the hand be too straight, or confining to 

 the horse (which it may be, though it does not pull 

 half ah ounce) by the rider collecting the reins to 

 unite the horse, and the horse freely uniting him- 

 self, he may become so balanced on his haunches, 

 that, while the hand supports him thus, though it 

 do not pull in the least, he cannot disunite himself, 

 nor advance one step ; and should the rider then 

 press him without yielding or dropping the hand, 

 she would compel him to rear. 



By these two extremes may be understood, first, 

 where the horse is disunited ; and last, where he 

 is too much united. The intermediate conse- 

 quence and effect of the hand and heel must be 

 acquired by practice. 



In pulling the bridle, if the lady pull more than 

 at the rate of a pound weight, she may be said to 

 carry her horse, and not the horse her. 



QUALITIES OF THE HAND. 



There are many properties requisite to consti- 

 tute a masterly hand. That is called a masterly 

 8 



