104 ORDINARY RIDING. 



is precisely the result of lateral flexion at the withers ; 

 whilst lateral flexion at the poll, on the contrary, stiffens 

 the neck, and binds all the forehand in such a manner as to 

 displace it from the whole, which is an indispensable result, as 

 I have explained, because the rider has no direct action on 

 the shoulders. Head low and isolated from the body by a 

 movable neck, which yields of itself without drawing the 

 shoulders, and allows the horse to oppose every movement of 

 the neck by a movement of the shoulders in an opposite 

 direction, with consequent impossibility of directing the fore- 

 hand, and the results of a lateral flexion at the withers and of 

 a lowering of the neck which follows it. 



Contrary to direct flexion (which I never practise, either 

 on foot or mounted, except when going forward), lateral 

 flexion at first is done on foot, when the horse is standing 

 still, on account of the difficulty of putting the hind quarters 

 in movement. In mounted work, I practise lateral flexion 

 only when going forward. I make it an absolute rule, once I 

 am mounted, never to ask my horse anything except when 

 he is advancing, and I have consequently avoided making 

 my school horses inclined to get behind their bit, which is 

 the usual danger in high school breaking.* 



In mounted work, lateral flexion is made by the same 

 mechanism as on foot. In order to bend the neck to the 

 right, the near snaffle rein, tightened and drawn to the right, 

 keeps the head high, and, being pressed against the upper 

 part of the neck, it pushes the head from left to right, while 

 the off curb rein, slightly tightened, aids this movement, and 

 loosens the jaw (Fig. 35). 



* I have already said that a high position of the neck can be obtained only 

 during forward progression, and that the reason I keep the necks of my horses very 

 high is because I continue to drive them forward during all the work I give them. 

 In fact, the greater the forward impulsion, the more do the hind (juarlers get 

 under the centre, and the more is the forehand lightened. 



