HOLDING DOUBLE REINS. 



159 



outside, and at such a length that little or no pressure is put 

 on them when the hands are carried in the ordinary way, 

 although these reins can be drawn tightly, if the hands are 

 rotated inwards and the little fingers closed on the palms of 

 the hands. If we desire to have an equal bearing on both 

 the curb and snaffle reins, it is immaterial which of them we 

 have on the outside, or we may use them as one rein passing 



Fig. 163. Double reins crossed in both hands with the ring (third) 

 ringers between them. 



between the little finger and ring finger. If the snaffle is to 

 be the predominant rein, it will of course be on the outside, 

 and the curb reins more or less slack. 



When holding double reins as in Fig. 161, if we wish to 

 obtain a better grip of the reins, we may " cross " the reins as 

 we did with the single reins (Fig. 158), and will then hold the 

 reins as in Fig. 162. Instead of holding the respective little 

 fingers between the two reins on each side, as in Figs. 161 and 



