5O RIDING RECOLLECTIONS. 



has ever been " pitched into " by a bigger boy at school 

 can have forgotten that this part of the body takes 

 punishment with the greatest impunity. But we are 

 wandering from our subject. To hold on like grim 

 death when down, seems an accomplishment little akin 

 to the contents of a chapter professing to deal with the 

 skilful use of the bridle. 



The horse, except in peculiar cases, such as a stab 

 with a sharp instrument, shrinks like other animals from 

 pain. If he cannot avoid it in one way he will in 

 another. When suffering under the pressure of his bit, 

 he endeavours to escape the annoyance, according to 

 the shape and setting on of his neck and shoulders, 

 either by throwing his head up to the level of a rider's 

 eyes, or dashing it down between his own knees. The 

 latter is by far the most pernicious manoeuvre of the 

 two, and to counteract it has been constructed the 

 instrument we call " a gag. " 



This is neither more nor less than another snaffle bit 

 of which the head-stall and rein, instead of being 

 separately attached to the rings, are in one piece 

 running through a swivel, so that a leverage is obtained 

 on the side of the mouth of such power as forces the 

 horse's head upwards to its proper level In a gag and 

 snaffle no horse can continue " boring," as it is termed 



