Riding and Driving for Women

by Belle Beach

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.