If, when attempting to stop the horse, he should toss up his head, the bridle-hand must be kept low and firm, and the right hand be pressed against his neck until his head is lowered, when the rein-hold may be relaxed. In such a case, the rider must be on her guard, as a horse which stops in this manner may rear, when she must immediately yield the reins.
The stop, especially in rapid gaits and when effected suddenly, is very trying to the horse; it should therefore be made only when necessary, and never to display the rider's superior command and excellent horsewomanship; many horses, particularly those having weak loins, have been caused much suffering and have had their dispositions completely ruined by a too frequent and injudicious practice of the stop.
In reining back or backing in the walk, the horse bends his haunches and places one of his hind-legs under his body, upon which to rest and balance himself; this enables him to collect force to impel his croup backward. To favor this movement, the horse must be collected, brought to stand square and even on his fore-legs, and then be reined backward by a firm, steady, and equal pull upon both the right and left snaffle-reins.[6] The hands should be held low and directly in front of the body, with the knuckles down, and the little fingers turned up and carried toward the body. During this whole movement care must be taken not to elevate the hands. The body of the rider must bend somewhat forward, with the waist drawn in, but without any rounding of the shoulders, while the leg and the whip must make gentle pressure against the horse's sides, so as to "bring him up to the bridle," and prevent his deviating from the line in which it is desired to back him. The backing must never be made by one continuous pull; but as soon as the movement is commenced, the hands and body of the rider must yield so that the horse may regain his balance, after which he may again be urged backward. These actions should occur alternately, so that with every step backward the rider will yield her hands, and immediately draw them back again, continuing these movements until the horse has backed as far as desired. If, instead of this course, a steady pull be made, the horse may lose his balance and fall, or may be compelled to rear.
When reining the horse back the body must never be inclined backward, as is necessary when stopping the horse; on the contrary, it must always be inclined somewhat forward, as this will enable the hands to manage the reins more effectively, will give the horse more freedom to recede, and, should he rear, will place the rider in the proper balance. Should the rider unfortunately incline her body backward, and the horse rear, she would probably be unseated, and should she pull upon the reins in order to sustain herself and keep her seat, the animal would be drawn backward, and probably fall upon her.
In backing, the pull upon the reins must never be made suddenly, but always gradually, the hand rather soliciting than compelling. When the reins are suddenly pulled upon, the horse is very apt to get his hind-legs too far forward under him, in which case it is impossible for him to move backward.
In reining the horse directly backward, should his croup move out of line to the right, the pressure of the whip must be increased, or gentle taps be given with it upon his right side back of the saddle-flap, the hand at the same time increasing the tension upon the right rein. The taps of the whip must be very light, lest the animal turn too much to the left.
Should the croup swerve to the left, the rider must press her left leg against her horse's side, or give light taps with her left heel upon his side, turning the point of the toe out, moving the leg a little back, and slightly separating the knee from the side of the saddle, in order to give these taps; at the same time she must increase the tension upon the left rein until the horse is brought into line.
When it is desired to rein back, but with an inclination to the right, a slight extra bearing or pull must be made upon the left rein, without relaxing the steady tension upon the right one. A pressure with the whip upon the right side of the horse must at the same time be kept up, in order that he may not carry his croup too far to the right.
In reining back with an inclination to the left, the pull upon the right rein must be slightly increased, still keeping a steady feeling upon the left one; then, by a constant pressure with the left leg upon the horse's side, he will be prevented from carrying his croup too far to the left. Reining back teaches the horse to move lightly, and improves the style of his different gaits, but its effect is very severe upon him, hence its practice should not be too frequent, and always of short duration.