The Lady and Her Horse / Being Hints Selected from Various Sources and Compiled into a System of Equitation

by T. A. Jenkins

To stop.—The lady must close her leg smartly to the horse’s side, to make him bring his haunches under him; at the same instant she must increase the bearing upon the reins, gradually yet firmly, by turning the back of her bridle hand downwards, and drawing it back, and upwards; the body should also be thrown backwards, to give weight to the pull: as soon as the horse has obeyed the check and remains still, the lady should ease the bearing upon the reins. If the lady does not give an impulse to the horse, by the pressure of her leg to his side, to bring his haunches under him, but merely pulls the bridle, the horse might be stopped by strength of arm, but it would be entirely on his fore-hand; and she would be thrown up and down in her saddle, in a very helpless way.

The stop should not be made too suddenly.

Reining back.—The great use of reining back, is to render the horse obedient, and tractable. The lady should first make her horse collect himself, when well balanced, she should communicate an impulse to the horse, by the pressure of her leg and whip to his sides, to induce him to raise one of his hind feet, at the moment of his doing so, she should double the feeling upon both reins, by drawing her hand back, and turning her little finger up towards her chest; the horse, to recover his balance, will step back. The movement of the hand must be repeated, at each step of the horse; should the horse bring his haunches too much under him, the bearing upon the reins must be eased, and the pressure of the leg and whip, increased, to give him a forward impulse.

The horse must not be allowed to hurry, or run back out of hand, nor to diverge from the straight line; he should be guided, by an increased pressure of either rein, as may be necessary, and by an additional pressure with the leg, or whip, to keep his hind-quarters in the desired direction.

Reining in.—The object desired is, to make the horse assume a more correct balance. The lady should shorten her reins a little, by drawing them through her left hand, thus keeping the bit-hand low and steady, with an extra bearing upon the reins; she should with her right hand, play with the snaffle rein, and at the same time, communicate to the horse a forward impulse; the horse feeling the bit to be an insurmountable obstacle, will, in place of throwing his weight forward, bring his haunches under him. Should the urging indication be applied too abruptly, the horse may throw so much weight forward, as to pull the reins out of the rider’s hands; if used judiciously, and controlled by the hand, the horse will collect himself, arch his neck, champ the bit, and be ready for any movement.

This practice gives the horse confidence, for most young horses are afraid of the bit; and if frightened by too sudden a jerk upon the reins will never after, go kindly up to hand. The lady having learnt the indications necessary, to induce the horse to move either, his fore-hand round his haunches, or his croup round his fore-hand; may next proceed to apply them, so as to induce the horse to move diagonally, or sideways.

Shoulder in.—In this movement the horse’s body is bent more or less. The pupil should separate her reins, and take one in each hand, holding them rather short; if the horse is to move to the left, her right hand must be drawn back to her hip, to bend the horse’s head to the right, her left hand should be advanced to guide the horse, she must apply her whip by light touches to the horse’s right side, in line with the girths, to induce him to step diagonally.

Passaging.—Signifies moving side ways.—If the retaining and urging indications be given with equal force, but the right rein be felt the stronger, the horse will incline to the right; to induce him to move his hind quarters also in that direction, the urging indication upon the left flank must be increased, by the rider applying her leg to the horse’s side, as far back as she can, if necessary, she may pass her whip behind her waist, and touch the horse with it, on his left flank.

In passaging to the left, the whip should be used by gentle touches, on the horse’s right shoulder, or flank as may be necessary.