274 HOW TO RIDE A HORSE. 



tice for tlie pupil to get upon his knees, and subsequent!} 

 upon his feet in the saddle, while holding weights in hLs 

 bands. 



Thk Hands. — The position of the hands, in riding, is a 

 matter of the utmost importance, as en the delicacy and 

 firmness of the touch depends very much the rider's 

 ability to make his horse entirely submissive to his efforts. 

 In cross-country riding, and in all cases where great caro 

 is necessary, the reins of each side should be held in the 

 hand of that side. (See fig. 30.) This manner of holding 

 the reins is always the safest, and, as a gentleman in rid- 

 ing is not obliged to use his right hand for a sword, as are 

 military men, there is no reason why he should not use it 

 in such a manner as to give him the best possible control 

 of his horse's mouth. 



With all strange or unruly horses, in turning to the right 

 draw on the right rein, and to the left on the left rein. If 

 vou find that your horse is so delicately trained that he 

 can be turned by the least pressure of the rein against 

 either side of his neck, it will often be convenient to hold 

 the reins together in the left hand. Baucher, in his Manage 

 riding, holds the curb-reins together in his left hand, and 

 the snafile-reins together in his right. An alternate tension 

 on the two reins keeps the horse more sensitive to the bit. 

 As it is the almost universal custom among good riders in 

 this country to ride with the reins in the left hand only, and 

 as those deviating from this custom would be considered 

 awkward, such persons as desire a reputation for skilful 

 riding should hold their reins as is represented in Fig. 81. 

 The right hand, in which the whip is firmly held, may rest 

 on tlie hip, or hang by the side. The left hand should 

 be held with the thumb upward and pointing toward the 

 horse's ears, and with the little finger near to the pommel 

 of the saddle and directly abo ve it. This enables one to hold 



