244 EESTIVENESS: ITS PREVENTION AND CURE. 



gether the action of the mouthpiece ; but the differ- 

 ence of position assumed points to a corresponding 

 difference of conformation. The undermost figure 

 shows that the way in which the head is set on the 

 neck, and the build of both, offer no obstacle in them- 

 selves j and the presumption is, therefore, that there is 

 something weak or defective in the loins, hind quarters, 

 or legs. On the other hand, in the upper figure there 

 is evidence that such obstacles do exist in the head and 

 neck, the hind quarters being, perhaps, very powerful. 

 In a word, horses with short necks, narrow jaws, and 

 ill set-on heads, or, again, with long unstable necks, en- 

 deavour to escape the pain occasioned by injudicious 

 attempts to force these into a certain shape by running 

 away in the position of the upper figure; whilst those 

 with well-formed heads and necks will, if their hind 

 quarters be weak, usually adopt that of the lower one 

 the getting down of the head alone bringing the weight 

 well on to the fore-legs, and consequently easing the 

 weak part. It sometimes happens that there are de- 

 fects at both ends, and want of judgment or temper in 

 the rider will easily drive such a poor weak creature to 

 despair ; for those who have had much experience with 

 young horses must have remarked that the powerful 

 and well-built ones seldom take to bolting unless there 

 is something wrong with their tempers. 



The first impulse of the great majority of riders whose 

 horses bolt is, to put a sharper bit into their mouths, 

 or at least to shorten the curb, and perhaps rig the 

 horse out with some sort of martingal or running-reins 

 that gives them a good hold of the head, to secure 

 which more effectually they plant their feet firmly in 

 the stirrups, probably at the same time throwing their 



