136 THE ART OF TAMING HORSES. 



costume. Hunting dress. Poole, the great authority. Advantage 

 of cap over hat in hunting. Boot-tops and Napoleons. Quotation 

 from Warburton's ballads. 



IF you wish to ride comfortably, you must look as care- 

 fully to see that your horse's furniture fits and suits him 

 as to your own hoots and breeches. 



When a farmer buys a team of oxen, if he knows his 

 business he asks their names, because oxen answer to 

 their names. On the same principle it is well to inquire 

 what bit a horse has been accustomed to, and if you can- 

 not learn, try several until you find out what suits him. 

 There are rare horses, "that carry their own heads," 

 in dealers' phrase, safely and elegantly with a plain 

 snaffle bridle ; but except in the hands of a steeple- 

 chase jock, few are to be so trusted. Besides, as reins, 

 as well as snaffles, break, it is not safe to hunt much 

 with one bit and one bridle-rein. The average of horses 

 go best on a double bridle, that is to say, the common 



CURB-BIT. 



hard and sharp or curb, with a snaffle. The best way 

 is to ride on the snaffle, and use the curb only when 



