50 NOTES ON EQUITATION 



if the head, held high rather than low, remains vertical; if 

 the jaw is flexible, and if the displacement of the head to 

 the right or left does not pass outside of the vertical planes 

 parallel to the axis of the horse and passing through the 

 points of the shoulders. 



In these bending lessons which are ruvarnthly practiced 

 while the animal is moving, the legs must be used to keep 

 up a steady gait and to prevent slowing up. 



Easing the Hand on the Snaffle. Bending lessons should 

 always be followed by easing the hand, which is a rest for 

 the horse after a somewhat fatiguing exercise, and a relief 

 to the hind quarters; this exercise is also a means of extend- 

 ing and lowering the head of the horse and of accustoming 

 him to keep in touch with his bit. 



When the easing of the hand is well done, the horse 

 after yielding the jaw, should extend his neck little by little 

 and answer to the bending lesson even after his head is 

 down. These bendings at the end of the reins give most 

 excellent results. 



The easing of the hand should be most carefully dis- 

 tinguished from the movement when the horse bores savage- 

 ly against the hand. This habit of boring or diving is easily 

 acquired if the rider releases his hand suddenly instead of 

 keeping a constant tension on the reins and graduallj^ fol- 

 lowing the horse's head. 



