Part 1 (2/2)

This, however, only proves the docility of the horse, and how badly he has been ridden. For a horse which has been finely broken should take notice only of the indications of his rider's hands on his mouth, not of any side-feeling of the reins against his neck.

[Sidenote: Indications are not _aids_.]

By _indications_ generally, I mean the motions and applications of the hands, legs, and whip, to direct and determine the paces, turnings, movements, and carriage of the horse. I have used the word throughout instead of _aids_, as being more explanatory and certainly less liable to abuse. For common sense tells us that a horse receives no aid from a pull in the mouth with a piece of iron, or a blow with a whip, or a kick in the side with an armed heel, however these may indicate to him the wishes or commands of his rider. I have also used the term _bearing_ on the horse's mouth instead of _appui_, since to those who do not understand French appui will convey no meaning at all,--and to those who do understand French it will convey the false ideas of the necessity and power of the rider to _support_ his horse. I promise my pupil every _aid_ and _support from_ his horse. But I beg him not to think of offering either aid or support _to_ his horse. I beg him to believe that the horse carries the rider, and not the rider the horse. But this we will discuss in another chapter. That the horse supports the rider is common sense: that the rider supports the horse is the common error.

CHAPTER II.

HOLDING AND HANDLING THE REINS.

Reins at full length.--The downward clutch.--Grecian mode of holding and handling the reins.--The side-clutch.--The two reins crossed in the hand.--A rein in each hand.--Turn to the right, and left.--The hunting hand.--The rough-rider's hand.--Fixing the hands.--Use of both bridles at once.--Shortening the reins when held, one in each hand, mode of taught and of untaught hors.e.m.e.n.--Use of the whip.--Horses swerve, turn, and refuse _only to the left_.--Fault in ”the great untaught,” English, two-handed rider.

[Sidenote: Reins at full length.]

To practise the indications of the hands, take the bridle which is attached to the chair at full length (Fig. 3), with the tips of the four fingers of the left hand between the reins at the centre, the first and fourth fingers detached to facilitate their working on the rein proper to each; the hand pendant, with the back to the front, and balance the chair on two legs.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 3.--REINS AT FULL LENGTH.]

If the length of the rein suits, it may be so held in long rides when the horse is going quietly at an extended walk, for directly as the slowness of the pace is the length of the horse, and so should be the length of the rein. The horse is at his greatest length when standing still, and if you force him to collect himself then, he will be uneasy and fidget.[16-*] But the reins must never be loose. The bearing on the mouth, however lightly, must still be felt; and if the horse, in attempting to stare about, as colts and ill-ridden horses will, should throw his head to the right, it must be stopped by the feeling of the tip of the fourth finger on the left rein; if he throws his head to the left, by the feeling of the first finger on the right rein. But provided that the bearing on the horse's mouth, and this power of keeping his head straight, are preserved, a horse cannot have too much liberty under the circ.u.mstances supposed. To turn to the right both reins must be pulled, the right the strongest, by feeling the tip of the first finger towards you; both legs must be pressed, the left the strongest; the whip shown on the left. To turn to the left the reverse indications.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 4.--DOWN CLUTCH.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 5.--DOWN CLUTCH, REIN IN EACH HAND.]

[Sidenote: Down clutch.]

[Sidenote: Grecian mode.]

To take up the reins use the downward clutch[16-] (Fig. 4); that is, place the two first fingers of the right hand between the reins at the greatest convenient distance, and slide them smoothly back. Repeat this movement, changing from hand to hand, and keeping the chair balanced and steady. This clutch is excellent for a straight-forward, _hot_ horse; it shortens the reins any length at one movement, with a very low, steady bearing. Two hands may be used (Fig. 5). I conceive this to be the Grecian mode of holding and handling the reins (see frontispiece and vignette, from the Elgin Marbles), except that the Greeks had one finger between the reins instead of two; and they held the reins, whether together or divided, between the thumb and the second finger.

The first finger was thus detached, and used only for guiding, by which very distinct indications may be given on either rein when both are in one hand.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 6.--SIDE CLUTCH.]

[Sidenote: Side clutch.]

At a walk, with a quiet horse, this _down_ clutch may be turned into the _side_-clutch (Fig. 6 and Fig. 7); it is nearly the same as the English mode of driving, but the right rein is uppermost, which facilitates the dividing the reins and placing them together again, and when the reins are in the left hand, the right rein quits the hand between the second and third finger. This allows you to hold one rein while you slip the other, besides that the left rein is not disturbed in taking the right rein in the right hand, and in returning it to the left hand.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 7.--SIDE CLUTCH, REIN IN EACH HAND.]

[Sidenote: Cross.]

But the following position (Fig. 8) is the foundation of all fine handling, and therefore of all fine riding.

And if the pupil will only thoroughly acquire this one movement he shall have my leave to consign the rest of my book ”protervis in mare Cretic.u.m portare ventis.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 8.--CROSS.]

<script>