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with a loose bearing-rein, where that has been the cause, and the horse will be immediately lighter in the hand. Sometimes, however, this fails, and the only remedy that remains is to attach a "fringe" to the mouthpiece, which, hanging down on the tongue, produces a tickling sensation that makes the animal draw back its tongue. However, we should be deceiving our readers in leading them to suppose that all cases are curable; for some horses will persist in this ugly trick despite of everything one can do. Any attempt to tie the tongue in this or the former cases will be found useless and probably dangerous.

Nothing is more certain than that every horse will go much better with a well-fitting bit properly placed than with the contrary; further, that many otherwise dangerous horses become perfectly tractable if properly bitted; and, finally, that inattention to this subject is one of the most frequent causes of restiveness. It, however, by no means follows that every rider should necessarily use a curb-bit. For hunting and racing purposes the snaffle will be generally preferable. Moreover, bad or indifferent riders had better not use the bit at all; but when, from whatever cause, it appears desirable to use one, let it be by all means a well-fitting bit, carefully adapted to the animal.

PART III.

RESTIVENESS: ITS PREVENTION

AND CURE

CHAPTER I.

HOW TO RENDER HORSES OBEDIENT.

THERE exist, no doubt, many horses that deserve the epithet vicious, in the proper signification of the term ; they are, however, by no means so numerous in proportion as many people suppose, and it is of great practical importance that simple restiveness or disobedience should not be confounded with the peculiar temperament or disposition which constitutes a truly vicious horse. Such an animal's temper can scarcely be changed, although it may be dominated by force,as, for instance, by Mr Rarey's method, which, by the way, was known to and practised by Major Balassa, of the Austrian cavalry, forty years ago; but the overawed and subdued brute is not thereby rendered a useful and docile servant, nor is any clue afforded us for overcoming special forms of restiveness or insubordination we may have to deal with: and so the horse-tamer, after attracting an undue share of public attention for a moment, finds himself in the end neglected and forgotten.

There is, too, a danger in all these methods-namely, the natural tendency they have to induce riders to rely on forcible measures in all cases, the result of which is but too frequently to convert a simply restive horse

into a decidedly vicious one, by awakening the devil that slumbers within. For it must never be forgotten that in the end the horse is stronger than the man; that there is very great danger of this becoming quite clear to the former, when mere force comes to be opposed to force; and that this very consciousness is what constitutes restiveness, and, if exasperated by cruel treatment, vice, pure and simple.

It is therefore necessary, in the first place, to know clearly what one has to contend with-whether with real vice, or merely with simple insubordination: the former, if curable at all, can only be dealt with successfully by professional riders, who possess the proper means and appliances; the latter ought to be within the scope of a great number of horsemen, if they would only abstain from violence and adopt rational methods. The French say, when speaking of a horse that shows restiveness, "il se defend"-he defends himself. There is much truth in this expression, and it is one that riders should constantly bear in mind, for insubordination is most commonly the result of something having been demanded from the horse that it either did not know how to do or was unable to perform; and the very first step to be taken in all cases is, to endeavour to ascertain exactly under what circumstances the disobedience was first manifested and is usually shown.

Before we affix the stigma of vice to a horse, let us therefore consider for a moment what the poor thing might with fairness retort, and the words ignorance, timidity, or brutality will immediately suggest themselves; for, in truth, want of judgment as to what a horse can fairly do, want of decision and promptitude in demanding this, or unnecessary violence in enforc

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