146 Modern Riding and Horse Education 



the meaning of *' hands." A horse will last longer 

 and be a better stayer if he has not to use his head 

 to support his rider; he wants it for other things, 

 and comfort and peace are as necessary to him as to 

 a man. 



I do not wish to imply that correct balance is im- 

 possible unless a man has learnt to ride without 

 reins; there are many fine horsemen to-day who 

 have never ridden without either reins or stirrups 

 in their lives, but they are exceptional men, and 

 would have attained perfection all the sooner had 

 their early training been without reins. I have seen 

 other men, reputed to be good riders, who fell off 

 when asked to jump a small hurdle without them, 

 thereby showing that they had never acquired cor- 

 rect balance. I have no hesitation in saying that in 

 making an all-round horseman it is very much 

 quicker to begin without reins at once than to wait 

 until the rider's education is almost complete. 

 Hayes rightly says that holding on by them is a most 

 difficult fault to eradicate if once learnt. 



At the French Horse Show of 1865 ^^ the 

 Champs Elysees, the Saumur pupils gave a wonder- 

 ful display of Haute Ecole riding and other feats, 



