482 BITTING. 



a more severe bit the horse avoids bringing its severity into 

 action by taking a lighter hold, and in turn the rider or driver, 

 unless he is very insensible, merely " feels" the horse's 

 mouth. A severe bit used by a heavy handed driver is un- 

 der such conditions converted into an instrument of torture. 



" I should perhaps much surprise many persons by stating that a horse 

 improperly bitted will sometimes set him kicking ; they may say, l What on 

 earth has his mouth to do with his heels ? ' A great deal, with some horses. 

 They say the devil is good tempered when he is well pleased ; so am I, 

 and so is a horse ; and while he is, he goes pleasantly and quietly. Now 

 put a too severe bit in his mouth, and, what is ten times worse, put the 

 reins into rude hands, his mouth gets punished ; this naturally irritates, and 

 puts him out of temper. Then let any little thing occur that at another 

 time he would not have cared for, in his present temper he sets to milling 

 away at once ; yet to take the other side of the question, I am in general 

 an advocate for commanding bits, of course more or less so according to 

 each horse's mouth ; but I mean commanding so far as relates to that horse ; 

 but then horses thus bitted must be given up to a coachman, not a Yahoo 

 with fists like a sledge-hammer. In single harness, particularly in break- 

 ing or driving a horse disposed to kick, he should have a very severe bit 

 in his mouth, by means of which, if he begins his nonsense, you may bring 

 him up at once on his haunches or nearly on his tail. This is no pleasing 

 operation for him ; it is meant as punishment, and a few times repeated 

 will make him fear to begin again. But this must be judiciously done, and 

 when other and gentler measures fail ; a horse thus severely bitted should 

 be driven by a man with hands as light as a feather, though, should occa- 

 sion require it, as strong as those of a giant. A severe bit with such a 

 horse also prevents that pleasing accompaniment to kicking, namely, run- 

 ning away, a circumstance of very common occurrence." Charles Brind- 

 ley, "Stable Talk and Table Talk," p. 86. 



" A celebrated Mr. Maxse, celebrated some fifteen years ago for a fine- 

 ness of hand that enabled him to cross Leicestershire with fewer falls than 

 any other sportsman of fifteen stone who rode equally straight, used to dis- 

 play much comical impatience with the insensibility of his servants to this 

 useful quality. He was once seen explaining to his coachman, with a silk 



