8o THEORY OF MOUTHING. 



road, the snaffle should act on the " bars " and not on the 

 " corners " of the mouth ; for the former are more sensitive 

 to pressure than the latter, and by acting on the bars we 

 prompt the horse to bend his neck (to save his mouth), and 

 consequently to yield to the rein. If, however, the pressure 

 falls on the corners of the mouth, the animal will as a rule 

 keep his head and neck stretched out and raised, so as to 

 prevent the bars being touched, in a manner which will 

 more or less deprive the rider or driver of control, and 

 which will hamper the movements of the horse. I may 

 point out that the only practical advantage which the curb 

 has over the snaffle, is that of severity. As high school 

 and circus riders require their horses to execute various 

 lofty airs de manege, they use the snaffle to act on the 

 corners of the mouth, when they wish to make the animal 

 carry his head in an unnaturally high position, so that he 

 may be able to raise his fore legs with exaggerated freedom, 

 as in the Spanish trot or Spanish walk (see page 284). 



For further information on snaffles and curbs, I may refer 

 my readers to Riding and Hunting. 



DIRECTION OF THE PULL OF THE REINS. 



The movements of the neck are made on the column of 

 bones (vertebra) of the neck, and on the suspensory ligament 

 of the neck, which is a strong elastic ligament that extends 

 from the withers to the top of the head. The centre of 

 motion of the neck will therefore be about four or five 

 inches below the top of the withers ; its position varying 

 somewhat according to the nature of the movement. In 

 order that the restraining action of the reins should inter- 

 fere as little as possible with the carriage of the neck, the 

 direction of the reins should naturally pass through the 

 centre of motion in question. If the reins pass above that 



