RIDING WITHOUT REINS. 



205 



how to obtain security of seat. After he has acquired that 

 art, the object of the long reins system is fulfilled, and he 

 is then well qualified to engage in the second and final part 

 of his studies, namely, in that of guidance and control. The 

 only drawback to this method is that it requires the teacher 

 to be an expert in this kind of driving, which is by no means 

 as easy to do properly as it looks. 



Before putting the long reins method into practice, it is 

 advisable to give the horse some instruction in it, so that he 



Fig. 189. Riding without reins. 



may carry his rider steadily and intelligently. The required 

 gear is a snaffle bridle, long reins, and a standing martingale. 

 The best reins for this purpose are those of i^ inch 

 " circular " webbing, and each about eight yards long. It is 

 almost always necessary to use a standing martingale of 

 proper length, in order to prevent the horse getting his head 

 up too high, in which case the outward rein would be apt 

 to go over the animal's croup and inconvenience the rider. 

 The reins should not be connected together, so that, if 



