92 THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



displacement of the centre of gravity has here reached its highest 



Fig. 30. 



limit ; according to the usual expression, the horse arches his neck to 



his breast, cannot see 

 the surrounding obsta- 

 cles, and removes his 

 head entirely from the 

 control of the hand. 



In certain subjects 

 the branches of the bit 

 are said to touch the 

 pectoral region. This 

 has not yet been 

 proved by our obser- 

 vation. If it be true 

 it can be remedied by 

 limiting the excessive 

 flexion of the head 

 upon the neck by 

 means of an over- 

 check, — a system of straps extending from the saddle to each side of the 

 bit and inflected over the poll (Fig. 31). 



E. — Forms of the Head. 

 At the beginning of the chapter we compared the general form of 

 the head to that of a quadrangular pyramid, in order to establish the 



Fig. 31. 



