THE REASONED EQUITATION 



tions and defenses of the horse, as his experience 

 suggests. 



In ordinary civilian equitation, in the case of 

 men and occasionally even in the case of amazons, 

 there is really no particular reason why the reins 

 should be held with the left hand rather than with 

 the right. But the army man, the hunter, the polo 

 player, and the woman who uses her whip to 

 produce the effects of a right leg, are obliged, 

 naturally, to keep the right hand free for saber, 

 pistol, mallet, or whip, and to use the left hand 

 only for the reins. 



For beginners, for all riders mounted on animals 

 not properly bitted, and oftentimes with hunters 

 and park hacks, it is an advantage to hold the reins 

 in both hands. Both in the hunting field and on the 

 promenade, it is sometimes difficult to keep the 

 horse straight at an obstacle or straight on the road. 

 Evidently, in these cases, the rider has better con- 

 trol, and easier, if he does not have the complication 

 of four reins in one hand. 



When both hands hold the reins, each taking 

 those on its own side, the snaffle rein passes under 

 the little finger, and that from the bit lies between 

 the little finger and the third finger. Both then pass 

 upward and forward, above the forefinger, held 

 against it by the thumb. When both reins of the bit 

 are held in the same hand, together with one snafHe 

 rein, the other snaffle rein being held alone in the 

 other hand, the tv/o hands should be kept at 



