short, so that the horse may not be inclined to bear his weight on the bridle.

If he yields, even in the slightest manner, I give to him and pat his neck. I then try to get him to yield still more, without asking too much from him. I again give to him and pat him ; and so on.

We should take particular care to get the horse to give to us, not only with his neck, but also with his jaw, which he will do by opening his mouth. The bending of the jaw is the last stage of flexion. Several horses, in yielding the lower jaw, whether in direct or lateral flexions, bring the jaw from one side to the other side. Although the jaw in this case does not resist the hand, it yields by going to the right or left, instead of yielding in the direction of the axis of the head. This incomplete method of yielding can be corrected only by stimulating the animal to go forward.

We can easily understand that if the lower jaw is carried to the right or left, the horse will not be correctly in hand, although his head and neck will be in a good position. His appearance of being in hand is not real, because the contraction of the muscles of his lower jaw makes it impossible for his mouth to be light. In these conditions the horse will never go freely up to his bridle, despite the stimulus of the legs. If I require an increase of impulsion, it is because the horse, by escaping from the straight line, brings his head too near his breast, in which case he will have a tendency to get behind his bit. It is therefore necessary to send him up to it.

Finally, if the jaw does not yield, the bending of the neck will only cause the weight to be brought back, and consequently to make the horse rein back or get behind the bit.

The entire principle of direct flexion consists in the alternate opposing actions of the curb and snaffle. Whilst the snaffle draws the forehand forward, a light pressure of the curb