THE SEAT 



objects without noticing intermediate ones also. 

 The head in its movements should be upright, and 

 should turn without carrying the shoulders with it. 



The forearms should make a right angle at the 

 elbow, but only as an intermediate position to be 

 altered either way as different effects are desired. 

 The two wrists should be kept at the same height, 

 the fingers facing one another and the thumbs up. 

 If one wrist is carried higher or lower than the other, 

 the corresponding rein will have more or less effect 

 on the horse's mouth. The two wrists should be 

 separated about six inches, the usual thickness of 

 a horse's neck. If the reins are held farther apart, 

 they will, in proportion to their separation, act 

 more upon the bit itself and less upon the bars of 

 the mouth, and so be less felt. If, however, the 

 reins of the snaffle are held nearer together, they 

 will exercise a pressure on the lips, which is efficient 

 if not too long continued. I do not mention here 

 bridle bits, curb chains, and other instruments of 

 torture, long ago discarded by sound equestrian art. 



The wrist joints should be kept pliable, so as not 

 to communicate stiffness to the arms and neck. 

 Stiff wrists, moreover, prevent the rider from feel- 

 ing the horse's mouth. The thumbs should be kept 

 up, since in this position the two hands are most 

 uniform and readiest to affect the mouth of the 

 horse, either when resistance is to be followed by 

 yielding or when the rider slackens the reins. 

 Moreover, when the thumbs are up, they press 



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