84 THEORY OF MOUTHING. 



weight on his hind legs. In order that the rider or driver 

 may keep in touch with the horse, it is necessary that the 

 animal shall allow him to maintain a certain amount of 

 " feeling " on the reins, and of pressure by the legs, so that 

 he may remain in communication with both ends of the 

 horse. For ordinary requirements, and especially for 'cross 

 country work, the amount of feeling on the reins which the 

 animal should bear with equanimity, might naturally be 

 somewhat in excess of that which would be needed for 

 mere purposes of communication between horse and rider. 

 It is evident that the worse the rider, the broader should be 

 this margin, which, I need hardly say, is an evil, though a 

 necessary one with men of light seats and heavy hands. 

 It must, however, in no case exceed the controlling power 

 of the rider or driver. The habit of refusing to go up to the 

 bridle not alone cuts off the communication which we should 

 constantly maintain by means of the reins between ourselves 

 and the horse ; but is extremely liable to degenerate into 

 the dangerous combined vice of rearing and jibbing. 



A horse with a good mouth, as I have already indicated, 

 will be capable of being readily collected ; that is, while 

 having his hind legs well under him, by the action of 

 the rider's heels or spurs, he will freely bend to the rein 

 with his head or neck. He will then keep the muscles 

 which close his jaws, more or less relaxed ; but without 

 losing touch with the reins, and will often show, at slow 

 paces, this obedience to the rein by the familiar play of the 

 lower jaw and champing of the bit. The relaxation of the 

 jaw is useless, as we know from practical experience, un- 

 less the horse also yields with the muscles of his neck. 



