90 Aids and Defences 



fUds ^3 Defences. 



All sucli 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, be 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 

 important : all the other actions of the rider tend- 

 ing, principally, to assist the bridle-hand and carry 

 its operations into complete effect. There should 

 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 per- 

 formed by the hand may be destroyed by the 

 omission of a correct accompanying aid or defence, 



