138 BITS AND BITTING. 



Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland, &c., till within 

 comparatively few years, were riding-masters' pupils of 

 one kind or another ; and it was only in the British 

 Islands that a numerous class of natural riders was to 

 be found. The Continental riders have had, therefore, 

 all more or less of a military or school type. There 

 existed until recently only one general style of riding, 

 saddling, bitting, carriage, and feeling amongst them, 

 varying, however, very much as to correctness in dif: 

 ferent countries. Of late years, no doubt, a great 

 change has taken place in this respect, and what is 

 called English riding has been more or less success- 

 fully imitated or caricatured in various parts of the 

 Continent. 



Now the English type of riding has been formed by 

 the national sports of racing and hunting, both of which 

 require vehement straightforward riding in the first 

 instance, and only a certain amount of handiness or 

 dexterity in turning ; and it is, therefore, neither desir- 

 able, nor indeed practicable, to give either the neck or 

 head of the horse anything like the same position that 

 other styles of riding admit of or require. Therefore 

 the system of bitting must be different to a certain, 

 extent. 



In fact, whenever it is possible, the jockey prefers 

 riding his horse with a snaffle, and the best hunting- 

 riders seem to be of the same opinion ; and when they 

 do use a curbed bit, it is most generally either as a sort 

 of reserve for particular emergencies, or in combination 

 with a bridoon (using all four reins), by means of which 

 the action of the bit is very much weakened. There 

 are, however, a great number of racers and hunters 

 whose tempers, or desire "to go," require the perma^ 



