312 EESTIVENESS: ITS PEEVENTION AND CURE. 



getlier the action of the mouthpiece ; but the differ- 

 ence of position assumed points to 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 themselves ; 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, endeavour 

 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 quar- 

 ters 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 N\T.'ong 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 run- 

 ning-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 



