MODERN RIDING. 69 



the hand and the horse's mouth, which every 

 horseman wishes to find. 



Such a hand will not yield to the soli- 

 citation or craving of the horse to get the 

 ascendency of the hand ; for an ascendency 

 of the hand is obtained when the horse aban- 

 dons that delicate correspondence producing 

 the appui, and keeping him under the strictest 

 obedience, and makes a dull or insensible 

 pull on the hand. And horses, though they 

 have been ever so well broke, after being 

 rode a few times by an untutored hand, will 

 fall into this, if permitted. 



To frustrate the little efforts of the horse 

 to obtain his purpose, the hand is kept firm, 

 and the fingers braced, by which their opera- 

 tion becomes severe, and is a proper punish- 

 ment. Should the horse disregard this, and 

 plant his head low, to endure the severity of 

 the hand, the hand must act by moving the 

 fingers, shaking the reins, &c. to raise the 

 head and divert him from his purpose ; and 

 lastly, the correction of the hand must be 



