CHAPTER III. 

 THEORY OF MOUTHING. 



" Mouth " and " aids " Respective actions of the aids -Suitability of the horse 

 to the application of the aids Making a horse obey the aids Combined 

 action of fore and hind legs, and distribution of weight on them Carriage 

 and action of the head and neck of the horse when he is in motion 

 " Collecting " the horse Requirements of a good mouth Combined action 

 of the aids in forming the mouth Respective actions of the snaffle and curb 

 Direction of the pull of the reins Turning, circling, and lunging the horse 

 Reining back The standing martingale Bearing reins, running reins, side 

 reins, and nosebands " Tying horses up," " reining," dumb jockeys, and 

 the pillars. 



A HORSE may be said to have a good mouth when he obeys 

 the aids with promptness and correctness. In riding, the 

 aids if I may be allowed to adopt the definition are the 

 signals afforded by the reins, whip, legs (and spurs), voice, 

 and changes of position of the rider's weight. In driving, 

 they are confined to the reins, whip, and voice. I am of 

 course aware that the term " aids " is applied, in the 

 manege, only to the action of the reins and legs for guiding 

 and regulating the movements of the horse. As the other 

 forces which I have mentioned, act in the same direction, 

 and are valuable adjuncts to the reins and legs ; I venture 

 to include them in a definition which is as suitable to them, 

 as it is to those whose recognition has obtained the sanction 

 of custom. 



