ACTION OF THE AIDS. 85 



As the manner in which a horse moves under the 

 guidance of his rider or driver, is the true test of the state 

 of his " mouth" ; it is evident that to have a good mouth, the 

 horse should carry himself in well-balanced style, that is, 

 with the weight distributed in due proportion between his 

 fore and hind legs ; with the line of his face, at an angle of 

 about 45° to the ground, unless we wish to " collect " him, 

 or unless he is at a walk (see page 79) ; and with the 

 direction of his neck favourably placed for the movements 

 of the fore legs. For the same reason, we may infer that 

 all mouthing instruction, or, at least, by far the greater part 

 of it, should be given when the horse is in movement. If we 

 seek to impart it while the animal is stationary, we shall, in 

 doing so, have constantly to strive against the tendency of 

 the horse to keep one part of his body fixed, while we are 

 " suppling " the other end. The horse, as I have already 

 said, should be taught to move as a whole, and not in parts. 



Combined action of the aids in forming the mouth. — 

 From an examination of equestrian pictures, we may learn 

 that '* the knights of old," and in fact all European military 

 horsemen up to the commencement of the present century, 

 rode in such a position that they could use their legs as an 

 aid only by means of the ends of their sharp and long 

 spurs. Hence they controlled their horses almost entirely 

 by the bridle. The result of this method of equitation, as 

 we may see from the extremely severe nature of the bits 

 they used to employ, was to make their horses heavy in 

 hand. Even when the animal arched his neck in obedience 

 to the bit, he would naturally seek to relieve his mouth by 



