TRAINING. 79 



CHAPTER IV.— SUPPLING AND COLLECTING. 



The trainer should now proceed to supple the 

 horse, and to teach it to collect itself. This 

 suppling is employed not only to overcome by 

 discipline the active or intentional resistances 

 of the horse, but to act also upon the defences 

 and resistances which come from malformation 

 in the animal, when the weak parts will be 

 gradually strengthened and supported, and the 

 parts that are rigid will be made pliant ; then 

 the forces will be so collected that the animal 

 shall be given the best position from which to 

 obey all the demands of the rider, which will be 

 conveyed by the same indications that the horse 

 has learned in the lessons for suppling and col- 

 lecting. 



The resistances of the horse depend upon the 

 rigidity of the muscles of the head, neck, and 

 back. When the head and neck have been made 

 to yield to the bit, and when the back has been 

 made supple, and the hind-quarters have been 



