Shifting the reins should be done expertly, without stopping the horse,
altering the pace, breaking the time, or looking to the hands. When the
snaffle reins are held in one hand, the method of shifting from the
left hand is as follows:--Turn the thumbs towards each other; carry
the right hand over the left; in place of the little finger of the
left hand, put the fore-finger of the right hand downwards between the
reins; lay the reins smoothly down through the right hand, and place
the thumb upon the left rein between the first and second joint of the
fore-finger.--(Pl XXXVII. f. 5.) To shift them again into the left
hand, it is only necessary to carry the left hand over the right; to
put the little finger of the left hand downwards between the right and
left reins; to place them smoothly upward through the hand, and to let
the ends hang over the fore-finger, as at first.--(Plate XXXVII. fig.
6.)
When both curb and snaffle reins are held in the usual method, we shift
them into the right hand in a similar manner, by turning the thumbs
toward each other; carrying the right hand over the left; putting the
fore-finger of the right hand into the place of the little finger of
the left; the second finger of the right into the place of the third
finger of the left; and the third finger of the right into the place
of the second finger of the left; and laying the reins smoothly down
through the right hand.-- (Pl XXXVII. f. 7) When we shift the reins
again to the left hand, we put the fingers of the left hand into the
places we took them from, and turn the reins smoothly upward through
the hand, and over the fore-finger.--(Plate XXXVII. fig. 8.)
Separating the reins is sometimes necessary. When a horse refuses
obedience to one hand, we use two. It is seldom, however, necessary to
take more than one rein in the right hand; and this is the right rein
of the snaffle only. For this purpose, the rider turns the back of his
right hand upwards, puts the first three fingers over the snaffle
rein, receives it between his little and third fingers, lets the
superfluous end hang over the fore-finger, with the thumb upwards, as
he does the bridle hand. (Plate XXXVII. fig. 9.)
Adjusting the reins is shortening or lengthening them, wholly or
partially, as occasion may require. To adjust the whole, we take the
superfluous reins that hang over the fore-finger of the left hand into
the right, so that with that hand we support the horse, and feel every
step he takes; and we then open the fingers of the left hand so as to
slip it up and down the reins smoothly and freely, and thereby adjust
them to our pleasure.
To shorten the curb rein, and lengthen the snaffle, we take in
the right hand the centre of the curb rein, that hangs over the
fore-finger, slip the whole of the reins too long, pass the left hand
down them, and feel with the fingers whether both the curb reins are
of equal length, before we grasp with the left hand, or quit with the
right. Similarly, we shorten the snaffle, and lengthen the curb, by
taking in the right hand the centre of the snaffle that hangs over the
fore-finger, and proceeding in the same way.
When any single rein wants shortening, we apply the right hand to that
part which hangs over the fore-finger, and draw it tighter. When the
reins are separate, or occupy both hands, and want adjusting, we bring
the hands together to assist each other; remembering that the inner
hand, or that which supports the attitude the horse works in, is not to
depart from its situation, so as to occasion any disorder, but that the
outer hand is to be brought to the inner, for the purpose of adjusting
them.