PLACING THE HORSE 



every condition and circumstance, no matter what 

 the motion, action, gait, or speed, the state of obe- 

 dience or revolt, understands instinctively every 

 impression that comes from the horse's mouth, 

 and is ready at once to accept, refuse, counter- 

 act, or suppress both the effect and the cause. 



The English expressions, "fine hand," and 

 "light hand," suggest the skill of the pianist or 

 the prestidigitator, whose tools have no will of 

 their own. The intelligent hand responds to and 

 controls the vital forces of a creature animated by 

 the will to live. The hands of the rider are two 

 vowels of the equestrian alphabet ; the legs are two 

 consonants ; accuracy of seat unites the four letters 

 into a word of the language with which rider and 

 horse communicate. If a letter is lacking, or if the 

 word is not formed, then there is no sense. 



All this is no dream, no illusion of the mind. It is 

 a fact, a reality; albeit, it is understood only by 

 the master who knows the language and appreciates 

 the significance of each letter and each combina- 

 tion, as the educated horse understands them. A 

 fine hand means nothing. A hard hand is a fault. 

 An intelligent hand is all in all. 



ACCORD 



A RIDER is in accord with his horse when his aids 

 are in correct ratio to one another and to the 

 movement which is required of the horse. 



The rider's hand retains, sustains, and directs 



175 



