42 RIDING RECOLLECTIONS. 



thick, you keep it there, in perfect comfort to the 

 animal, and consequently to yourself. A thin bridoon, 

 and I have seen them mere wires, only cuts, chafes, 

 and irritates, causing more pain and consequently 

 more resistance, than the curb itself. I have already 

 mentioned the fineness of Mr. LovelPs hand (alas ! 

 that he has but one), and I was induced by this gentle- 

 man to try a plan of his own invention, which, with 

 his delicate manipulation, he found to be a success. 

 Instead of the usual bridoon, he rode with a double 

 strap of leather, exactly the width of a bridle-rein, 

 and twice its thickness, resting where the snaffle ordi- 

 narily lies, on the horse's tongue and bars. With his 

 touch it answered admirably, with mine, perhaps be- 

 cause I used the leather more roughly than the metal, 

 it seemed the severer of the two. But a badly-broken 

 horse, and half the hunters we ride have scarcely been 

 taught their alphabet, will perhaps try to avoid the 

 restraint of a curb by throwing his head up at the 

 critical moment when you want to steady him for a 

 difficulty. If you have a firm seat, perfectly indepen- 

 dent of the bridle, and do not be too sure of this, 

 until you have tried the experiment of sitting a leap 

 with nothing to hold on by you may call in the assist- 

 ance of the running-martingale, slipping your curb- 



