CARRIAGE OF THE HEAD. 



with this subject, I may mention that the use of the curb bit 

 has been found to injuriously affect the action of race-horses 

 by, as a rule, making them carry their heads low down, and 

 consequently to gallop " round." Trainers of match-trotters 

 employ an " over-draw check-rein " (bearing rein) with horses 

 which do not carry their heads high enough, and which, on 

 that account, have too low action. The bearing rein is also, 

 in many cases, necessary for the attainment of that "extrava- 

 gant " action which is greatly sought for among fashionable 

 carriage horses : a fact which accounts for its retention in the 

 stables of the rich, despite the adverse criticism that is being 

 constantly directed against its use. As a rough guide to the 

 direction of the neck (supposing it to be straight or only 

 slightly bent) when the line of the face is at an angle of 

 about 45° to the ground, I may say that, at ordinary paces, 

 the upper part of the nostril should not be lower, or only 

 slightly so, than the top of the withers. In the fast gallop, 

 the horse will carry his head lower down than this, so as to 

 bring his weight forward, and thus to increase his speed i^see 

 p. 67). This difference in the carriage of the head will be 

 evident, if we compare Figs. 81 to 89 with Figs. 90 to 105. 

 A fairly high carriage of the head, with the face at the 

 angle just mentioned, is a most desirable point in the cross- 

 country horse, who requires to obtain a good view of 

 the ground or obstacles in front of him, and to have free 

 shoulder action ; in other words, to be " light in front," 

 which implies that his hind legs are well "under him." 

 If, on the contrary, we want a horse to rein back [see 

 p. 119), we should make him lower his head and bring 

 it perpendicular, or nearly so, to the ground, in order to 

 put weight on his fore legs and lighten his hind ones. 



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