in my opinion, are the
finest riders in the world), when they use the right hand on the right
rein, continue to hold both reins with the left hand, and they slip the
right rein a little through the left hand in order to place both hands
even. This is a most vicious habit. When they quit the right rein to use
the whip, or to throw the arm back at a fence (another most vicious
habit), by their system of holding and handling the reins they have not
the power to place _the lengthened_ right rein _short_ in the left hand.
Alas! poor horse! He is then pulled to the left by the left rein, driven
to the left by the whip on the right, and then abused for answering
these _natural_ indications, which he has been trained _habitually_ to
obey.

FOOTNOTES:

[16-*] This is one reason against an _unalterable_ bearing-rein.

[16-+] Have mercy on this _little_ word, _great_ reader, and do compound
a sesquipedalian clutch for me, out of digitus and ~daktylos~.

CHAPTER III.

EFFECT OF INDICATIONS.

Retaining, urging, and guiding indications.--To make the horse collect
himself.--Canter, right turn, right pass.--Left shoulder in.--Bearing
on the mouth.--The horse must be made to collect himself in
turning.--And should not be turned on one rein only.--Lady's
canter.--The quicker the pace, the greater degree of
collection.--French and English mistake here.--The shy horse.--The
restive horse.--Truth may be paradoxical.

[Sidenote: Retaining, urging, and guiding indications.]

There are three sorts of indications, retaining, urging, and guiding.

[Sidenote: To make the horse collect himself.]

The indications of the hands are of two sorts, guiding and retaining.
Those of the legs and whip are also of two sorts, guiding and urging.
Suppose a horse standing still with full liberty and fully extended. If
the retaining indication of the hands only are given, he will go
backward in a loose and extended form. If, on the contrary, the urging
indication of the legs or whip only are given, he will move forward in
a loose and extended form. If these two opposite indications (that is,
retaining and urging) be given equally at the same time, the horse will,
as it is termed, _collect_ himself; that is, being pulled backward, and
urged forward, at the same time, in obeying both indications a sort of
condensation of the horse results, he bends his neck and brings his head
in, and brings his haunches under him. If both i