HANDS
The hands should be held on a level about six inches in front of the
waist; the forearms horizontal, the upper arms hanging naturally from
the shoulders, so as to keep the elbows level, and in a vertical plane
with the shoulders. Bowing the elbows out, or, on the other hand,
clapping them too close to the sides, are common faults, and are equally
bad not only for the sake of appearances, but because, in either of
these positions, the strength of the arms is lessened. Similarly, the
elbows should not be carried back when the hands are in position, for,
if they are, you cannot pull the horse up should he stumble, or, on
occasion, stop him suddenly; nor should they be carried forward over the
knee, for that position is stiff and tiring and gives the body a
tendency to bend forward.
In jumping a horse trained to jump in the American fashion, when
approaching the jump, the hands are carried well forward and, at the
same time, the body is also carried forward. The reason for this is
partly to help the horse over the jump, and partly because the horse,
before he rises, throws his head far to the front, and the rider’s hands
and body move with him. On landing, the horse’s head and with it the
rider’s body and hands resume their normal position.
Both hands should be kept in position, and neither arm should ever be
allowed to hang at the side in military fashion. Nothing looks worse in
park riding for either a woman or a man. In riding a horse that is
bridlewise and perfectly broken so that he will obey the slightest
movement of the reins and can make all the changes of action and of gait
by a mere suggestion from one hand, the other hand should still be kept
in almost the same position as if it held the reins, and remember that
if it is necessary to rearrange the hair or the hat, or if you wish to
make any gesture with the right hand, to be sure to transfer the whip to
the left hand. By neglecting this precaution and carrying the whip in
the right hand, when it is moved about, your horse, or your companion’s,
may see the whip and think he is about to be struck, and a serious
accident may result.
The left hand is the bridle-hand and the one in which the reins should
habitually be carried. After mounting, and in first taking up the reins,
remember that the snaffle rein is a trifle longer and wider than the
curb rein and that the ends of the snaffle reins are joined with a
buckle while the ends of the curb are stitched together.
There are different ways of first taking up the reins. One of the best
is to grasp them together in the right hand, the curb reins in the
middle and the snaffle reins on the outside, drawing them sufficiently
tight to feel the horse’s mouth very lightly, with the ends passing
through the hand and out under the little finger; then, holding them all
horizontal, to pass the left hand down on them vertically, the near
snaffle rein outside the little finger, the near curb between the little
finger and the third finger, the off curb between the second and third
fingers, and the off snaffle between the first and second fingers. Then
let go with the right hand and turn the left hand into its position with
the ends of the reins coming out between the thumb and forefinger.
Another way is first to take up the snaffle reins with the right hand,
the off rein outside the little finger, the near between the first and
second fingers, feel the horse’s mouth lightly, and then pass them into
their correct position in the left hand, the near snaffle outside the
little finger, the off snaffle between the first and second fingers;
then pick up the curb reins with the right hand and pass them to the
left hand separated by the third finger.
A third way is first to pick them up in the right hand in the same
position in which they should finally be in the left hand, except that
the off and near reins are reversed; that is, the off snaffle rein comes
outside the little finger, and the near snaffle rein between the first
and second fingers, and similarly with the curb. Then drop the left hand
over them, in front of the right, as above described, with the fingers
in their correct final position. This position has been already
described, but I will state it again: The near snaffle rein comes
outside of the little finger, the near curb rein between the little and
third fingers, the off curb rein between the third and second fingers,
the off snaffle rein between the first and second fingers; the ends of
the reins come up through the hand and fall to the right between the
thumb and forefinger.
The reins should be adjusted to their proper length with the right hand
so as to feel the horse’s mouth lightly before the fingers of the left
hand are closed on them. With regard to the ends of the reins, it is
equally correct to have all four reins one upon the other, and then put
the thumb on top of them all, or to put the thumb on top of the snaffle
reins and have the curb reins pass to the right of the thumb, if one is
riding on the snaffle; or, if one is riding on the curb, to have the
thumb resting on the curb reins and the snaffle reins passing to the
right of the thumb.
The reins should be properly arranged in the left hand, as I have
described, at the start, when the body and the elbow are in their
correct positions, and they should be held at this same length at all
times and not allowed to slip through the fingers. They should be held
by pressing the edges of the reins, with the fingers, against the
cushion of the hand, and not by squeezing the flat surfaces of the reins
between the fingers. The principal reason why beginners let the reins
slip through their fingers is that they do not hold the reins by the
edges.
[Illustration: CORRECT POSITION OF REINS
1--Off snaffle rein. 2--Off curb rein. 3--Near curb rein. 4--Near
snaffle rein.]
The whip, crop, or stick, whichever may be carried, belongs in the right
hand, but the whip and stick are both carried with the handle up and
the small end pointing downward whereas the crop should always be
carried with the handle downward and the loop end upward. The reason for
this is, probably, because in England crops which have handles are used
for opening the latches of gates, and, when held in this position, the
handle can be quickly used for this purpose without the crop being
shifted. Another reason is because, when used in the hunting field with
the lash, the lash can be got out quickly, and the crop will be in
position for use at a moment’s notice. Whichever of the three, whip,
stick, or crop, may be carried, hold it lightly in the palm between the
thumb and first finger of the right hand.
I have already described the position of the reins in the left hand. The
next thing to be considered is the position of the left hand itself when
holding the reins.
As I have said, the forearm must be horizontal. The hand must be held
with the knuckles nearly vertical, and not horizontal, as many hold it.
The hand must be bent in toward the body at the wrist, and the wrist
must be flexible so as to give slightly with the movement of the horse’s
head. Nearly all beginners have great difficulty in remembering to keep
the wrist bent, as they are apt to straighten it out so as to give a
direct tug on the horse’s mouth with their arm, and so lose the spring
which the supple wrist would give them.
The right hand should be held symmetrically with the left, bent in at
the wrist in the same way, and with the knuckles at about the same
angle. For beginners, it is better, until they have acquired fairly good
“hands,” to hold the bight of all four reins in the right hand between
the thumb and forefinger, about an inch from the left hand and just
below the whip, the bight of all four reins passing through the right
hand and out under the little finger. This keeps the right hand in
position ready for an emergency, but it does not allow it to interfere
with the even pressure and “feel” which the left hand has on the horse’s
mouth, with both the near and off reins. Remember that, under normal
circumstances, all four reins must be held firmly in the left hand, and
that there must be an exactly even pressure on the horse’s mouth on both
sides, and that, in order to keep the reins so and prevent them from
slipping, they must be held by the edges between the second joints of
the fingers and the cushion of the hand, and must also be firmly pressed
down between the thumb and forefinger.
The right hand should, as it were, be kept in reserve and used as
circumstances may require. For instance, if the horse is thoroughly
bridlewise, he will have been trained to turn to the left by passing
the left hand to the left, at the same time slightly turning it on the
upper arm as a pivot, thus touching the off side of the horse’s neck
with the off reins; similarly, to turn to the right by carrying the left
hand to the right, and turning it to the right on the upper arm as a
pivot, thus bearing the near reins against the near side of the horse’s
neck. Many saddle-horses, however, have not been trained to this, so
they have to be turned in riding very much as in driving; that is, by
pulling the rein of the side toward which they are to turn.
Now, with a horse which has an exceptionally sensitive mouth, and a
rider with exceptionally good hands, this can be done by a mere turn of
the left wrist; but if the horse has not a sensitive mouth, or the rider
has not very good hands, the right hand must be called into assistance.
In such a case turning the horse to the right is very simply
accomplished by taking the off reins in the right hand a few inches in
front of the left (which, however, must retain its grasp of all the
reins without shifting), separated by the little finger, the two reins
passing out between the thumb and forefinger. Then, by a slight pressure
of the right hand, bring the horse’s head around to the right.
Turning to the left, however, is not done by taking up the near reins
in the right hand, as in driving, but by taking the off reins in the
right hand just as if one were going to turn to the right, but without
any pull on the off reins. Then letting the off reins slip slightly
through the fingers of the left hand, and pulling the near reins with
the left hand enough to make the horse turn, and as soon as the turn is
accomplished, restoring the reins to the former position in the left
hand.
Another purpose for which the right hand must be always available is for
shortening the reins. This should be done by grasping the bight or ends
of all four reins together in the right hand, behind the left, between
the thumb and forefinger, passing through the hand and out by the little
finger, and slipping the left hand up on the reins as much as may be
needed.
If, however, more strength is required than can be had from the left arm
only, the right hand should be placed on all four reins in front of the
left hand, which, of course, will have to be turned so as to bring the
knuckles horizontal, the reins occupying the same position in the right
hand as in the left, only reversed; that is, the off snaffle coming
outside the little finger, and the near snaffle between the first and
second fingers, etc. The fingers of the right hand are then closed upon
the reins and the horse pulled in with all the strength of both arms.
I do not mean to imply for a moment that any horse can be pulled up or
stopped by a steady pull on the reins, for no woman is strong enough to
stop a horse who is determined to run, by pitting her strength against
his. There must be a “give and take,” and even in stopping a runaway,
alternately giving him his head and then pulling him in, is far more
effective than a steady pull; nor should a horse ever be stopped or
pulled up with a jerk unless to avoid running over a child or in some
other emergency. To stop a horse or make him slow down, he should first
be given his head slightly by carrying the hand forward, and then pulled
up gradually. If you start to pull a horse with a violent jerk you will
immediately excite his resentment and make him pull against you with all
his strength, and you will end in giving him a hard mouth and developing
a “puller.”
Another purpose for which the right hand should be in readiness is to
tighten the curb reins. If the horse is being ridden, as he usually will
be, either with the pressure on all four reins about even or with the
curb reins somewhat looser than the snaffle, and he starts to pull, or
there is some other occasion for using the curb, the right hand may be
brought over in front of the left and the curb reins taken in the right
from two to six inches in front of the left hand, separated by the third
finger, passing out between the thumb and forefinger. The curb can then
be tightened with the right hand without affecting the snaffle, and the
horse made to slow down or stop, as may be required. Great care,
however, should be taken by beginners not to attempt to do this, as they
would be almost certain to put far too great pressure on the curb, might
cause the horse to rear, and would be very apt to make him start to run,
through obstinacy. I would, therefore, never advise a beginner to
attempt to take up the curb reins in this way unless some emergency made
it imperative.
Some riders with very light hands, when riding very powerful horses with
rather hard mouths, may find it desirable to ride on the curb instead of
on the snaffle. In such case there are two positions which may be taken.
One is to put the curb reins in the position of the snaffle reins and
_vice versa_, and then leave the snaffle reins somewhat looser than the
curb. This is a method much used with the Kentucky type of saddle-horse
and with horses which have been broken to the use of the curb only, as
are nearly all army horses.
Another way of holding the reins when riding on the curb is to separate
the two curb reins with the little finger of the left hand and the two
snaffle reins with the middle finger. The reins are then held in the
army fashion. Some horses have been broken to be ridden in this way,
and the rider may find it easier with them.
Neither of these last two ways of holding the reins of which I have
spoken should be attempted by beginners as they will only confuse them.
[Illustration: REVERSING POSITION OF CURB AND SNAFFLE REINS
1--Off curb rein. 2--Off snaffle rein. 3--Near curb rein. 4--Near
snaffle rein.]
Another point which is very often neglected is that the reins must not
be twisted between the bridle and their ends. Be sure that they are kept
straight at all times, as it looks very badly to see them twisted either
on the neck or in the bight of the reins, and if the bight is twisted,
one is very apt to mix the reins when changing them.
With regard to holding the reins in both hands, this should only be done
by beginners, and in the hunting field, and with absolutely green horses
who have to have their heads pulled around in order to turn them.
I shall discuss the position of the hands in the hunting field in the
chapter on hunting, and what I have said about turning horses who are
not bridlewise covers all that needs to be said about green horses.
Beginners should not use the curb reins at all, and should hold one
snaffle rein in each hand, the snaffle reins being held in the position
of the near snaffle rein in the left hand, and the off snaffle rein in
the right hand; that is, passing outside of the little finger up through
the hand and held between the thumb and forefinger. A beginner,
particularly if she has ever driven, will naturally start to take a rein
in each hand in the driving position, that is, separated by the thumb
and forefinger and coming out under the little finger. This position is
never taken in riding. The object of taking a rein in each hand is to
accustom the fingers to the reins, and the rider to holding the right
hand parallel with the left. Keeping the right hand in a corresponding
position to that of the left not only looks smart and neat, but it helps
to keep the right shoulder in place. Of course, in the side-saddle, the
tendency of all beginners is to carry the right shoulder forward and
higher than the left. If the right forearm is held symmetrically with
the left forearm, the right shoulder cannot be out of place.
[Illustration: CORRECT POSITION FOR PARK RIDING
Right hand holding reins lightly and riding stick]
[Illustration: REINS IN BOTH HANDS
Position for beginner
Reins in same position in each hand]
In riding astride beginners should also hold a rein in each hand, as
holding the reins in the left hand only tends to pull the left shoulder
forward and out of place. So when riding astride, the symmetrical
position of the right hand and arm with the left brings the right
shoulder forward and keeps the shoulders square.
I have mentioned above the reasons for sometimes reversing the positions
of the curb and snaffle. Another case where this may properly be done is
where a running martingale is used.
Next to balance, light hands are the most important attribute of a good
rider. They really are a gift, like an ear for music, or a delicate
sense of touch, or acute vision, and go with a certain nervous and
sensitive temperament. Some riders have naturally light hands and
scarcely need any instruction with regard to them. With them the feeling
of the horse’s mouth is instinctive. Light hands, however, can, to a
great extent, be cultivated, and there is no excuse for any experienced
rider having heavy hands. Women are more apt to have light hands than
men, and while men may rely on strength to control a horse, and can
control many horses by sheer brute force, women very seldom have
sufficient physical strength to do this. Women should seek “the strength
of effect and not the effect of strength.”
It is hard to define the term “light hands.” If I might attempt a
definition, I would say that the hands serve as a means of communication
between the horse’s and the rider’s mind, so that the rider, through the
touch of the horse’s mouth, communicated through the reins and hands,
knows what is in the horse’s mind and so can make the horse’s mind
instantly respond to the rider’s will, and thus the rider and horse are
at all times in sympathy, and the horse acting with, and not against,
his rider, and the rider with, and not against, her horse.
Lightness does not in any way denote weakness, for, behind the light
touch, there must always be firmness, decision, and strength. Nor does
lightness mean a touch so vague that it produces upon the horse’s mind
an impression of vacillation. In riding it is most important for the
rider, once she has made up her mind what to make the horse do, to make
the horse do that thing and not allow him to do anything else. One
might, indeed, say that lightness of hands is very closely akin to tact
and that it is a means of inducing a horse to adopt as his own the will
of his rider.
I spoke a moment ago of strength. By this I mean firmness and not brute
force. If a rider is fortunate enough to be gifted with lightness, she
will be able to control her horse by a spirit of love instead of
adopting the brutal method of controlling him by fear and having him
prepared at every moment to obtain his revenge upon his rider, as a
horse that has been treated brutally is almost certain to do when he has
the opportunity.
Coupled with the lightness of hands should be fearlessness in the mind
of the rider, and the horse must know both that the rider is fearless
and that she trusts him. If the rider shows a lack of confidence in the
horse and acts as if she were suspicious of him, the horse will soon
know it, and will do exactly what the rider fears that he will. A horse
has a mind which very readily receives impressions from the rider’s
mind. For instance, a rider expects a horse to shy at some object; she
will unconsciously impart that thought into the horse’s mind and the
horse is almost certain to shy; but if she will say to herself, “there
is nothing to shy at, we will simply go quietly by this”; if she does
not interfere with the reins and gives the horse absolutely no sign that
she has any thought of shying in her mind, the horse will, nine times
out of ten, if not ten times, pass by the object without showing the
slightest alarm. It is usually the rider that shies and not the horse.
Some riders make the great mistake of first thinking that a horse is
going to shy at some object, then forcing him, by whip and spur, to go
up to that object and pass it. They will thus bring the horse to a state
of the most pitiable excitement and panic, and, while they may succeed,
they may be quite sure that the next time he sees that object, or goes
by the same place, he will be far more afraid, for he will dread not
only the object itself, but a repetition of the whipping and spurring.