2 6o RIDING VICIOUS HORSES. 



obedience, rather than sullen submission ; for a horse's 

 courage and intelligence are as needful to us as his strength 

 and speed. 



BORING. 



Some horses carry their heads too low down, generally from 

 the effect of the continued use of a curb or Pelham (p. 89) ; 

 while others bore to one side, sometimes to such an extent 

 as to constitute bolting off the course, or out of the line the 

 rider wishes to take, from having been spoiled by incompetent 

 performers. With the former, the unjointed or gag snaffle 

 may be tried ; or as a substitute for the gag snaffle, we may 

 take up the cheekpieces of the head-stall, so that the bearing 

 of the mouth-piece on the corners of the mouth may make 

 the horse hold his head up. The latter, however, require for 

 comfortable riding something more than mechanical devices 

 to cure them of their unpleasant trick. All of us who have 

 ridden much are aware that the large majority of horses have 

 what is called a hard and a soft side to their mouths, the 

 former being generally the right ; the latter, the left. This 

 is evidently owing, as I have already said, to horses being 

 led, handled, etc., much more on the near side than on the off; 

 and to the fact that most riders use the left hand more than 

 the right on the reins. As many riders sit " anyhow " on a 

 horse, with one leg advanced or drawn back more than the 

 other, it would be strange if riding horses were to escape 

 all bias in their gait. 



I am inclined to think that many horses learn to bore, from 

 their mouths becoming insensible from the continued pressure 

 of the curb. Hence I would advise that a horse should not be 

 ridden for a long time on the curb, the action of which, with 

 a double bridle, should be frequently relieved by that of the 

 snaffle. I have also a strong suspicion that the nutcracker 

 action of the ordinary jointed snaffle teaches a horse to 



