234 HORSE AND MAN. 



make a horse unmanageable and likely to run away. 

 Here is a case in point. 



The late Mr. B. Shaw, M.P., possessed a horse 

 which was so violent that the coachman ordered a 

 very severe bit to be made expressly for it. Before 

 the bit was sent from the maker, a groom was 

 exercising the horse, and, in order to prevent it 

 from running away and to keep it under control, the 

 bearing-rein was employed as usual, and drawn back 

 up to the last hole. 



The horse was, as the groom said, exceedingly 

 ' fresh ' and restive, and struggled so violently that 

 the rein broke. ' I thought it was all up witli me,' 

 said the groom, ' but to my surprise the horse 

 became at once manageable, and went beautifully, t 

 and the severe bit was never used.' 



Lord Palmerston used to say that ' a runaway 

 horse is best kept in by a light hand and an easy 

 snaffle,' and his opinion is corroborated by that of 

 Mr. Cracknell, as quoted above. 



The best authorities are unanimous in their con- 

 demnation of the bearing-rein. Sir Francis Head, 

 who did as much miscellaneous horsemanship as 

 man can well do, always employed the strongest 

 language against it. 



d o e> 



The authors of standard works on the subject 

 equally condemn it. Mayhew never loses an oppor- 



