If, then, the appuy be heavy, from the head being carried too low, and the horse not sufficiently united, the rider must raise the hand, and let the fingers, by moving, rather invite than compel the head, or more properly the neck, to rise, for the object is to bring in the head by raising the neck, the legs at the same time pressing the haunches under. By these means, the horse will be united, and the appuy will be lightened. Should the hand, however, be too confining to the horse when united, he may become so balanced on his haunches that he can neither disunite himself nor advance one step; and, should the rider then press him without yielding or dropping the hand, he would compel him to rear. Such are the two extremes, where the horse is disunited, and where he is too much united. The intermediate effect of the hand and heel must be acquired by practice. THE HAND. To a masterly hand, firmness, gentleness, and lightness, are very properly described as being essentially necessary. Firmness of the hand does not, however, do more than correspond exactly with the feeling in the horse’s mouth, unless the horse attempts to get the ascendancy, to abandon that delicate correspondence producing the appuy, and keeping him under the strictest obedience, and to make a dull or insensible pull on the hand. To frustrate these attempts, the hand is kept firm, and the fingers braced; and, should the horse plant his head low to endure this, the fingers are moved, the reins shaken, &c., to raise the head and divert him from his purpose; or, if this be unavailing, the hand is yielded that the reins may become slack, and a snatch is given in an upward direction, which will not only make him raise his head, but will deter him from putting it down again. Gentleness of the hand relaxes a little of its firmness, and mitigates the feeling between the hand and the horse’s mouth, without passing, however, from one extreme to another. Lightness of the hand lessens still more the feeling between the rider’s hand and the horse’s mouth, and consists in a slight alternate feeling and easing of the bridle, regulated by the motion of the horse; for, if the appuy were always in the same degree, it would heat the mouth, dull the feeling, and render the horse’s bars callous. The rider must also distinguish whether the horse washes to disengage himself from restriction, or wants a momentary liberty to cough, to move if cramped, to dislodge a fly, &c.