Manual of Equitation and Horse Training 89 



by the reins alone, making the forehand pivot about the 

 haunches— the circle with the croup inside, demivoltes 

 collected until the half turn on the haunches is reached, 

 two tracks, and shoulder in. 



The broken lines, at a very collected gallop, should be 

 especially insisted upon. This is the best lesson for ren- 

 dering the horse supple and mobile in the gallop, easy to 

 guide, and clever on varied ground. 



All these movements are demanded by the bearing 

 rein, which acts indirectly but very efficiently on the 

 shoulders. 



It should be remarked that the several movements 

 enumerated above do not of themselves carry a special 

 power leading straight to the end sought. The rider in- 

 tervening according to his object and the resistance which 

 he meets must act with tact; that is, with more or less en- 

 ergy or gentleness, according to circumstances. 



Wide at the beginning, in order not to discourage the 

 horse, the different movements should be progressively 

 made smaller, so that finally the complete submission to 

 the aids necessary to individual combat will be obtained. 



The forward movement must be carefully guarded dur- 

 ing all the gymnastic work, and it is always necessary after 

 collected work to let the horse stretch himself in extend- 

 ing the gait before resting him, through fear of losing im- 

 pulsion. 



To obtain suppleness of the jaw. — Suppleness of the jaw 

 is the apparent sign of lightness; it indicates a general re- 

 laxation. With a horse whose mouth is normal, the gym- 

 nastic exercises which supple and strenghten the colt lead 

 naturally to this mobility of the jaw. This is, in a way, the 

 proof of his willing obedience. But some horses, in spite 

 of a relative suppleness of the rest of the machine, pre- 

 serve an abnormal stiffness in the jaw. 



The origin of all defenses is pain. Contraction of the 

 horse's jaw may be provoked by a bit badly adapted to his 

 conformation, whether the mouth be too sensitive for the 

 bit or whether its sensibility has been deadened until it no 

 longer perceives the effects. 



The first remedy consists in properly choosing and ad- 

 justing the bits. Their nature, their position in the mouth, 

 the dimensions of the branches, the thickness of the 



