66 ILLUSTRATED HORSE-BREAKING. 



or when the animal yields to the indication of the 

 rein. The action of the mouth-piece, and the ad- 

 visability of refraining from pulling at the reins 

 when the head is in a wrong position, have been 

 fully dealt with in the preceding pages. I may, 

 however, draw attention to the fact that when the 

 horse's head is in the wrong position for the action 

 of the bridle, it is in an unfavourable one for the 

 movements of the fore-limb ; being raised or de- 

 pressed to an undue extent, or too much flexed or 

 extended on the neck (i.e. chin drawn in, or poked 

 out). Hence, the natural tendency of the horse will 

 be, if his mouth be not interfered with, to bring his 

 head in the position which is the best for his own 

 movements, and which is the most suitable for 

 the action of the mouth-piece of the bridle. A 

 hard-pulling horse, for instance, ridden or driven by 

 a man with " good hands," will, probably, get his 

 head " up," on feeling the pressure of the mouth- 

 piece, when he tries to break away. Being incon- 

 venienced in his movements by this awkward carriage 



