CH. XV BAUCHER S METHOD 37 I 



As the neck comes in and up, the hind legs of the 

 horse tend to come in more under his body, in order 

 to preserve his general balance. 



These preliminary flexions were made by Baucher 

 with the horse at rest, but it is important, as Fillis 

 has pointed out, to combine them with a forward 

 motion, so as to prevent the horse from contracting 

 the habit of retaining himself, a result which is an 

 objection justly urged against Baucher's method. 

 The horse should be, therefore, kept moving for- 

 ward while the flexions are being- made, even when 

 the trainer is on foot, and later on, when the trainer 

 is mounted, the horse should be urged forward all 

 the time, by the pressure of the legs. 



The flexions thus described may be considered 

 the only flexions of the neck necessary for driving 

 purposes ; for saddle-horses, lateral flexions, turning 

 the head to the right and to the left, are added ; but 

 they can be easily overdone, and sometimes result 

 in teaching the horse a means of defence, which he 

 uses to the disadvantage of the rider. 



After the neck is suppled, the next thing is to 

 bring the horse's hind legs well under him. If a 

 horse is observed when free in a field, it will be seen 

 that in his quick movements, especially in turning, 

 he brings his hind legs forward, so as to throw a 

 considerable portion of his weight upon them, and 

 this position will be quickly recognised by a mounted 

 man, as making the horse more pleasant to sit and 

 more responsive to the action of the rider than if he 



