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. THE CORRESPONDENCE. To have a correct notion of the manner in which the hand operates on the horse’s mouth, it must be understood that the reins, being held as described, are collected to such definite length, that bracing the muscles of the hand would rein the horse back, and easing them permit him freely to advance; the hand, for preserving a medium effect on the mouth, being only half shut, and the knuckles near the wrist nearly open. The hand, then, being connected to the reins, the reins to the bit, the bit operating in the curb on the bars, and in the snaffle on the lips, the rider cannot move the hand, and scarcely even a finger, without the horse’s mouth being more or less affected. This is called the CORRESPONDENCE.