FOR PEACE AND WAR. 145 



horse's powers in full vigour to the fulfilment of his tasks, and 

 the preservation of his soundness. 



To return to our subject, this operation of "uniting" the 

 horse, which, under that name, is so much reprobated, is not only 

 uot condemned, but highly approved when it shows itself under 

 any other name, and in consequences afFe'cting another part of the 

 body. 



Everyone knows how much " a good mouth," as it is called, is 

 justly prized amongst all lovers of the horse. " Does he ride to 

 a good mouth ? " is more frequently than any other the question 

 of a high- class dealer in horses. In Ireland it is said, as one of 

 the most attractive commendations that can be bestowed, that 

 such a horse is " well snaffled." The terms are synonymous, and 

 mean that he is light on hand, perfect in his paces, and so forth ; 

 and yet, if the matter be looked into, it will be found that the 

 quality so much commended does not reside in the mouth at all, 

 for, so far as mere organization is concerned, the mouths of all 

 horses are as nearly as possible alike, and if the jaws of the 

 hardest-mouthed "borer" in the world were submitted to the 

 anatomist, side by side with those of the best broken and ligl)test- 

 mouthed horse, it would be impossible for him to tell which was 

 which, unless, indeed, from the greater tenderness of the "hard 

 mouthed" one, caused by the merciless pulling which is ignorantly 

 supposed callousness to the bit too frequently encourages. Fur this 

 idea of some mouths being " calloused " is a mere vulgar prejudice, 

 caused from the fiict of hard pulling resulting from causes quite 

 independent of the mouth. The mouth of every horse is 

 exquisitely sensitive ; the only callousness in the business is in 

 the feelings of the rider, or rather, let me say, in his judgment, 

 for if that were as sensitive to the facts before his eyes as the 

 " bars " of the horse's mouth are to the bit with which he 

 lacerates them, he would perceive that his horse leans on his hand 

 for support, not because he, poor beast, does not feel the incon- 

 venience, but because he cannot help it ! 



It is support the " hard mouthed " horse looks for, in nine 

 cases out of ten, and he is driven to seek that support where he 



