THE HANDLING OF THE REINS 



the beginner ought to learn to keep his reins always 

 at the correct length, he should be practiced also in 

 shortening them instantly. 



The method is much the same as for adjustment. 

 If the rider is holding all four reins in the left hand, 

 he simply seizes them all with all the fingers of the 

 right hand, or certain ones with thumb and fore- 

 finger, and draws them upward to the needed 

 length. 



I often tell my pupils that the beginner has 

 always two enemies of his safety his eyes and his 

 fingers. The eyes never look far enough ahead to 

 see where the horse is going; therefore they tilt 

 the head forward and displace the body. The fin- 

 gers let slip the reins; therefore are these not ready 

 when needed to control the horse. 



I have already noted that the determining factor 

 in handling the reins is the need of holding the horse 

 straight, the backbone acting, so to say, as a sort of 

 keel; and that, on the whole, it is easier to accom- 

 plish this end when both hands are employed. 

 Nevertheless, there are conditions which make it 

 at least convenient for the time being to change 

 from two hands to one or from one to two. If, for 

 example, the rider regularly uses the left hand for 

 all four reins, in order to have the right hand free 

 for whip or mallet, he may often need to use both 

 hands to control a case of excitement or refusal. 



To separate the reins, changing from the left 

 hand to both hands, the little finger of the right 



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