PRINCIPLES OF BITTING. 29 



being " hit and held," the loftier their action, and consequently 

 the higher their price. This style may be suitable for a three 

 or four miles drive in the Park or in Town during the season ; 

 but it is not " business " from a horseman's point of view, 

 because it entails a waste of muscular power. We may see 

 a similar needless expenditure of force, in the case of a 

 riding horse which will not face his bit, especially if the man 

 on his back endeavours to keep him up to it by the pressure 

 of the legs or by the spurs. If we desire to ride like " work- 

 men," we should not use a bit our horses will not face. Even 

 the cavalry soldier, who should be able to collect his mount 

 so as to make him circle, turn and passage with the utmost 

 quickness and precision, by a slight indication of hand and 

 leg, requires his horse to go up to the bit. 



With respect to driving, I may mention in passing that the 

 high action we see among fashionable carriage horses is 

 altogether false in the majority of cases ; because the lofty 

 style is almost entirely confined to the fore legs. The action 

 in trotting, to be true, should be the same in the hind as in 

 the fore limbs. Nothing looks worse than to see a horse 

 trying to " pick his teeth " with his knees, and at the same 

 time dragging his hind feet behind him. This extravagance 

 of action is carried to such an extent among hackney 

 breeders, that many so-called " champion " prize hackneys 

 are sent to shows by rail, even short distances of a few miles, 

 because, as a stud-groom explained, "it would knock their 

 legs up " to drive them on the road ! 



In order that a horse may freely go up to his bit, its pres- 

 sure should be applied in a direction opposite to that in which 

 he is proceeding. If the mouth be hurt by the bit, the animal 

 will probably be rendered more or less violent and fretful. 

 Even if the horse be cowed into submission, the control thus 

 procured will be obtained by the sacrifice of a certain amount 

 of working power. 



