TRAINING 53 



should be trained to keep his head and neck still, and 

 maintain, like the rider, an even, steady pressure on the 

 bridoon, whilst yielding the lower jaw the moment he 

 feels the bit. We must now, therefore — after riding him 

 for some time on the bridoon, the hands being against 

 the rider's body in a line with the elbows and the reins 

 of the tension which causes the hands to feel a slight 

 tug each time a forefoot is put down in the walk — 

 supple and get control of the neck by what Baucher 

 calls flexions ; these can be either to the right and left 

 or direct. 



(a) The rider starts at the walk, the reins being long 

 but not loose, and closing the fingers firmly, say, on 

 the right rein of the bridoon or bit, he presses the horse 

 gently forward with the legs, which should also keep 

 him on a straight path, the left leg being applied further 

 back than the right — diagonal aids — and wait till he 

 yields his jaw and brings his nose to the right, the 

 lateral bend of the neck being from just behind the 

 ears, the rest of the neck remaining high and firm. 

 The hand and legs should then be immediately eased, 

 and the horse patted. If the horse does not yield his 

 jaw to the bit, the rider increases the pressure of the 

 legs, touching the horse with the right spur close behind 

 the girths, whilst the left leg prevents him from dis- 

 placing his quarters. The same should then be done 

 with the left rein ; then with both reins of the curb 

 bit equally stretched to obtain the direct flexion, which 

 brings the horse's head perpendicular with the ground ; 

 the legs and spurs pressing the horse forward if he 

 slackens his pace or refuses to yield his jaw. If there 

 is any difficulty in obtaining the direct flexion, the 

 rider can place the horse's head in a corner of the school 

 and use the spurs lightly. This direct flexion should 



