334 TH£ vUFfi 6r 



finding among the inhabitants of Brazil. It is 

 worthy of remark, that the horfcs in Barbary, as 

 well as Brazil, are remarkably tender mouthed, 

 contrary to what my Englilh readers would ex- 

 ped ; bur thefe powerful bridles keep a horfe 

 in awe, and the fmalleft touch makes him obey, 

 fo that there needs not that conftant pulling 

 which my countrymen are fo fond of. I am aware 

 of the force of prejudice, and that I lliall be 

 laughed at by many, when I aflert, that a fnafflc 

 bit and a tight rein are good for nothing but to 

 fpoil a horfe; let, however, any one for a mo- 

 ment confider whether any animal can move fo 

 brifkly when rcflraincd as when all its limbs 

 have their free motion, and then let them fay, 

 what will be the efFed of the perpetual pulling 

 and favving of a fnaffle bit. Bcfidcs, the horfe 

 by degrees gets accuftomcd to this tealing but 

 infignificant bit ; a flrong pull becomes necef- 

 fary to check him, and the rider, as is too often 

 the cafe with Engliflimen, confiders his bridle 

 as a kind of fupport to himfclf. In a word, 

 wherever a powerful bit is ufed, I have obfcrved 

 the horfcs to be tender mouthed, and the re- 

 verfe in thofe where the fnaffle is employed. 

 The only evolution they pracflife is to form in line 

 of battle, then in fubdivifions to advance, with 

 aftonifliing rapidity, fome diftance in front of the 

 line; when they have made their career, in full 



fpeed„ 



