[Sidenote: To shorten both wheel reins.] _Both wheel reins._—It is better to shorten these by pulling them through from behind. This is necessary when going down steep hills, especially when the wheelers are loosely poled up, so as to prevent the bars hitting the leaders’ hocks.
[Sidenote: To shorten both lead reins.] _Both lead reins._—In order to shorten these take out both the leaders with the right hand (the third and little fingers over off, and first or middle finger over near-side rein); you can then pass them back to your left hand the required length by letting them slide through the right hand the necessary amount. To lengthen them, simply pull them through from the front.
[Sidenote: Shortening near-lead rein.] _The near lead._—Either push through from the front, with the full of the right hand over the rein, or take it right out of the left hand the same way and replace it the proper length.
[Sidenote: Shortening off lead rein.] _The off lead._—Push through from the front.
[Sidenote: Shortening near wheel.] _The near wheel._—This rein will be found the most difficult of all to keep in its right place and to shorten. It constantly slips when the horses pull, and for beginners it is certainly the best plan to pull it through from behind. It can also be done by lengthening out the off-lead rein from the front, and then pushing both reins back together.
[Sidenote: Shortening off wheel.] _The off wheel._—Push it through from the front with the right hand.
[Sidenote: Shortening centre reins.] _T he two centre reins._—Always adjust them from the front. If the leaders are not straight in front of you, which will be found a very common occurrence, but are running to the right, they will generally come straight by pulling the two centre reins through the left hand from the front, so as to lengthen them a little; on the contrary, if the leaders are running to the left, push these two reins back so as to shorten them.
If, however, they are going to the right or left simply because you are holding the off or the near-lead rein too short, let out this rein only, just enough to bring the leaders square.
[Sidenote: Passing off across road.] The following are probably the easiest and most effective methods of passing off across the road, or of turning to the right or left:—