I used to find this frustrating too. I was always paranoid that when reaching around to adjust the hor hold I'd zap myself on one of those flimsy wires going to the CRT.

Note I said "used to". After undoing the AFC circuit in my VT-71's the hor hold became rock solid and turned into a set it and forget it kind of thing.

Come to think of it, AFC was a circuit addition on the later sets; maybe those controls are in back because access wasn't needed that often with the original design.