234 THE HORSE. 



close wherever it may be desired. In order to be sure that the 

 elbow is held against the side, the thumb should always point 

 towards the horse's ears ; and the nearer the little finger can be 

 carried to the pommel of the saddle the better. In using the - 

 single rein, the management of the mouth, if a good one, is easy 

 enough ; nevertheless, there are various directions for the purpose 

 adopted in different schools, which are dependent upon altogether 

 conflicting principles. Every tyro knows that the horse turns to 

 the left by pulling the left rein, and to the right by pulling the 

 opposite one ; and the problem to be solved is to do this by one 

 hand only. Now, this with the single rein is easily effected by 

 raising the thumb towards the right shoulder, when the right rein is 

 to be pulled, or by drawing the little finger towards the fork for the 

 left; in both cases by a turn of the wrist, without lifting the whole 

 hand. But over and above this action on the mouth, and in many 

 cases independent of it, is a movement which, in trained horses, 

 is capable of much greater delicacy, and which depends upon the 

 sensibility of the skin of the neck for its due performance. It is 

 effected by turning the whole hand to the right or left, without 

 an// wrist action, so as to press the right rein against the neck, in 

 order to cause a turn to the left, and the left rein against the neck 

 for the opposite purpose; at the same time rather slackening the 

 reins, so as not to bear upon the mouth by so doing. In this way 

 a horse may be turned with a much greater degree of nicety and 

 smoothness than by acting on the corner of his mouth. But 

 highly-broken horses, such as the military troop-horses, are often 

 too much used to their bits to answer to this slight and delicate 

 manipulation; and therefore it is eschewed by Captain Richardson, 

 as well as by Colonel Greenwood, but, strangely enough, for oppo- 

 site reasons, and each attempting to substitute a very different 

 process for it. I am well aware that some horses can never be 

 taught it, but must always have a bearing made on the mouth 

 before they will turn; yet, when it can be inculcated, it makes the 

 animal so tractable and agreeable to ride, that it is a highly desira- 

 ble accomplishment; and I cannot, therefore, join in condemning 

 its use, but should rejoice if it could in all cases be fully developed. 

 The double rein is usually held by those who ride for plea- 

 sure in this country as follows : — Begin by taking up the snaffle- 

 rein, and place the fore and middle fingers between its two por- 

 tions; then lay hold of the curb-rein, and either hook it loosely 

 on to the little finger, if not immediately wanted, or draw it up to 

 the requisite degree of tightness and turn it. over the fore finger, 

 when it will lie upon the snaffle-rein, and. together with it, will be 

 gripped by the thumb. By adopting this plan, the curb-rein is 

 always at the command of the right hand ; and it may be shortened 

 or let out in a moment, which is of constant occurrence in every 



