Reins v. No Reins 145 



acquisition of a firm seat, and those who do not re- 

 commend that reins should also be dispensed with 

 forget the obvious fact that they are nearly as much 

 support to the pupil as the stirrup, perhaps more so, 

 and that if they are retained throughout the course 

 the instructor is defeating his own ends. It would 

 be just as reasonable to deprive the man of his reins 

 and allow him to keep his stirrups the whole time; 

 the results would — all things being equal — be 

 superior. 



Balance is harder to learn if a convulsive grasp 

 of the reins prevents a man's body from following 

 the movements of his mount, besides which it is un- 

 fair on a beginner to expect him to control a horse 

 before he has a firm seat : it is asking him to attempt 

 too much. In the initial stages of jumping the reins 

 may save a fall, but they often produce one by pull- 

 ing the rider out of the saddle. In experienced 

 hands they encourage the horse to jump; in bad and 

 inexperienced ones they make rushers and refusers. 

 Again, purely from the animal's side of the question, 

 he is put to considerable pain in having his mouth 

 pulled about; he becomes an uncertain jumper, and 

 useless for the purpose of teaching a future rider 



