EQUITATION 



283 



hand, and renders almost impossible a continuous, dragging 

 pull. 



Gloves permit of botli a better grip and more easy manipu- 

 lation of tlie reins, but tliev should be a size too larce and un- 

 buttoned to allow the greatest freedom of the fingers and wrist. 



Riding,— Holding the Reins. — The usual method of hokling 

 tlio reins of a curb and snalHc riding bridle is to take the near 

 snaille rein over tlie little finger of the left hand, the near curb 

 rein between the little and ring fiugers, then pass the off curb rein 

 between the rinc: and niiddlo finaers and the off snaffle rein 



Fig. 151. — The two-hand grip. 



between the middle and index fingers, the ends of all four reins 

 coming out of the hand over tlie index finger and clasped by the 

 thumb (Fig. 152). Eitlier curb or snaffle reins can be taken up 

 independently by tlie right hand back of the left, or the right hand 

 may be dropped in front of the left, the little finger between the 

 off curb and snaffle reins in case a two-hand grip is desired (Fig. 

 153). The hands may be separated and their position on the 

 reins changed by running the reins through the fingers as the 

 hands are drawn apart. 



The single rein from the plain snaffle bridle is usually simply 

 crossed through the hands. 



