The Use and Misuse of the Hands 91 



him. It is well, therefore, thoroughly to understand 

 the mechanical laws which apply to the movements 

 of the animal's head and neck in order to avoid 

 giving him unnecessary pain by misuse of the hand. 

 There is no doubt that these parts of his anatomy 

 help him to preserve his equilibrium. Watch a 

 horse careering about a field at liberty. Before he 

 sets off at either a trot or a canter he throws up his 

 head and neck to raise his forehand and free his 

 forelegs. When he wishes to stop he lowers his 

 head ^ and neck, and at full gallop he always carries 

 them out. When making sudden turns and starts he 

 uses his head in a variety of ways to get his balance 

 in the right place. 



Most students of Haute Ecole would have us more 

 or less rob a horse of this free movement, and teach 

 him to perform the various evolutions required of 

 him without altering the position of his head and 

 neck. But while admitting that he should not be 

 allowed to what might be called " sprawl," I find it 

 difficult to see eye to eye with these gentlemen. I 

 admit that freedom is not essential in the riding- 

 school, where the ground is soft and even and the 

 pace cannot be great ; but in the open, where we have 



^When properly trained and mounted he pulls up on his hocks, 

 and keeps his head up to get the weight back. 



