70 PRINCIPLES OF P. III. 



given severely, if necessary, to deter him 

 from further attempts. This correction is 

 given by first yielding the hand that the reins 

 may become slack, then giving them a smart 

 or violent snatch in an upward direction, 

 which will make the horse raise his head ; 

 and the apprehension of a repetition of it will 

 deter him from putting it down again. 



II. An easy or gentle hand is that which, by 

 relaxing a little of its strength and firmness, 

 eases and mitigates the degree of feeling 

 between the hand and the horse's mouth. 



It is a rule in this respect not to pass, at 

 once, from one extreme to another, as from a 

 firm hand to a slack one, or to jump over 

 that degree of sensation which is derived 

 from the easy or gentle hand. Were the 

 rider at once to go from a firm hand to a 

 slack one, he would entirely abandon his 

 horse, he would surprise him, deprive him of 

 the support he trusted to, and precipitate him 

 on his shoulders. On the contrary, were he 

 to pass from the slack to the tight rein all at 



