MODERN RIDING. 



279 



horse will exhaust his wind. If he is obliged 

 to pull him together by raising his hands, 

 or throwing his weight out of centre, these 

 checks produce an additional stress on the 

 hocks or loins, which must tend to weaken or 

 exhaust ; and, if it is a close match, the heat 

 might be lost by the riding. That the horse 

 therefore may have every fair advantage, the 

 rider should be strong enough to hold him 

 without raising his hands, which might put 

 the horse's head out of place ; and though it 

 were but an inch, this would be unpleasant 

 and detrimental to him. 



His judgment should be able to discover 

 how the horse gallops with the greatest ease 

 to himself— if he carries his head lower than 

 is pleasant to the rider,— -if he is accustomed 

 to bear more on one rein than the other, — or 

 has a favourite leg. This is a material thing 

 to know ; for no horse can be made the most 

 of, that is put out of his usual method of 

 carrying himself; and this being known or 

 discovered, should be submitted to. This is 



