PULLING AGAINST THE HAND 



stiffens its neck and pulls against the rider's hand 

 for the sake of supporting limbs in which it has no 

 confidence. Or, again, the weak point is in the loins, 

 or the coupling; and because the region where the 

 fore and hind hands join is not strong enough to 

 permit the horse's supporting himself with the loins, 

 he keeps himself upon the hand by pulling against 

 the bit. 



Some authors have maintained that pulling on 

 the hand is the result of bad conformation of the 

 bars. If this were the case, it should always be pos- 

 sible to find a bit of such a form that it will com- 

 pensate for this defect. I, however, agree with 

 Baucher's opinion that the trouble lies in a general 

 weakness or bad conformation of the body, which 

 makes it difficult for the horse to place itself in- 

 stinctively, or be placed by the rider, in the correct 

 position of assemblage. Since, then, the horse is 

 wrongly set, it tries to support itself by pulling 

 against the hand. 



In every instance, therefore, the proper way to 

 correct the fault is to develop the animal's strength 

 by progressive gymnastics and by good and ample 

 food, meanwhile, freeing the contractions of the 

 mouth and neck by means of flexions, which will 

 not only supple these parts, but will besides develop 

 their strength and conformation. If the seat of the 

 difficulty is in the loins, the coupling, or the hind 

 legs, the proper treatment is through backing and' 

 the reversed pirouette, executed as a moderate and 



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