remedy is to put a small movable plate of the shape of a figure of eight, with its centre on the top of the port of the bit, upon which it can revolve. This apparatus will also prevent horses letting their tongues hang out of their mouths.

Sometimes a horse foams at the mouth by playing with one of the cheeks of the bit, which we can prevent by putting the mouthpiece a little higher up in his mouth and tightening the chin-strap, so that he cannot reach the cheeks of the bit either with his tongue or lips.

A good mouth will always continue fresh during work without being either dry or wet.

If the flexion has been made in the manner I have indicated, and by the methods I have described, the horse will have his neck high and bent at the poll ; the axis of the head will be a little beyond the perpendicular, the mouth open, and the curb free (Fig. 3). In order that the flexion may be irreproachable, it is necessary that the muzzle should be on a line with the upper part of the shoulder (Fig. 5). The bending of the neck should bring the direction of the head near to, but not behind the perpendicular, which faulty position can be produced only when the neck is bent at a point too near the withers. By this position I have my horse very lightly on the bit. Whereas Baucher, who liked to have his mount behind the bit, drew the animal's head back beyond the perpendicular, and thus put the horse into this position.

I will now describe the mechanism of direct flexion, as I understand it, and as I have practised it, with this single difference, that, for the sake of clearness, I take for granted that the horse is halted ; although I will explain later on, that at first I make the direct flexion while going forward.

The majority of riding masters practice this flexion in an entirely different manner. To give an account of what ought to be the direct flexion, which is the fundamental