THE AIDS. 61 



SUITABILITY OF THE HORSE TO THE APPLICATION OF THE 



AIDS. 



The five following facts are the principal ones which 

 render the horse amenable to control by the aids : 



1. His instinct of self-preservation prompts him to fly 

 from the infliction of pain. 



2. The " bars " of the lower jaw (that portion of the 

 gums which is devoid of teeth, and which is between the 

 molars and the tushes, or the place which the tushes usually 

 occupy) being sensitive and smooth, readily lend themselves 

 to the application of restraining pressure. 



3. The lateral muscles of the neck are so weak that the 

 ordinary rider or driver can easily pull the horse's head 

 round to whichever side he likes. 



4. When the horse carries his head in the best manner 

 for facilitating his movements (see page 69), the mouth- 

 piece, whether of snaffle or curb, will be in a good position 

 for the rider or driver to control the animal by the reins. 

 The breaker will therefore be under no necessity of trying, 

 for bitting purposes, to make the horse carry his head and 

 neck in any other way than a perfectly natural one. 



5. When the saddle horse is in motion, the balance of his 

 body is readily disturbed by changes in the position of the 

 rider's weight. Hence, such changes, when appropriately 

 made, are readily accepted by the horse as signals for 

 altering the nature or direction of his movements. 



MAKING A HORSE OBEY THE AIDS. 



In teaching a horse to obey the aids, we should act on 

 the principle advocated on page 44, of making our equine 

 servant accord ready obedience to our commands, after he 

 has learned to understand our wishes when they are ex- 



