COLLECTING AND DIRECT FLEXION. 49 



of mouth with ths resistance which is due to a faulty position 

 of the head. A horse which carries his head low is always 

 heavy in hand, because he puts all his weight forward, but 

 it does not therefore follow that he has a hard mouth. If 

 we simply change the position of his head, and place it high, it 

 will not bear on the hand, and we will be able to find out what 

 kind of a mouth he has. 



Fig. 4. — Going forward when mobilising the lower jaw, so as to 

 prevent the horse getting behind his bit. 



It is a mistake to think, as many do, that a horse which 

 slavers or foams at the mouth has a good mouth. To produce 

 this soapy foam, a horse must contract his tongue, and will not 

 then be able to have his mouth free, at rest, and ready for the 

 fingering of his rider. A horse produces this foam by con- 

 stantly turning his tongue, or by rubbing it against his hard 

 palate, by passing it over the bit, or by making it into a 

 ball at the back of his mouth. In all these cases, the only 



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