THE USE OF THE BRIDLE. 5 1 



against his rider's hand ; in a gag and curb he is indeed 

 a hard puller who will attempt to run away. 



But with this bridle, adieu to all those delicacies of 

 fingering which form the great charm of horsemanship, 

 and are indeed the master touches of the art. A gag 

 cannot be drawn gently through the mouth with hands 

 parted and lowered on each side so as to "turn and 

 wind a fiery Pegasus," nor is the bull-headed beast that 

 requires it one on which, without long and patient 

 tuition, you may hope to " witch the world with noble 

 horsemanship. " It is at best but a schoolmaster, and like 

 the curbless Pelham in which my horse ran away 

 with me, only a step in the right direction towards such 

 willing obedience as we require. Something has been 

 gained when our horse learns we have power to control 

 him ; much when he finds that power exerted for his 

 own advantage. 



I would ride mine in a chain-cable if by no other 

 means I could make him understand that he must 

 submit to my will, hoping always eventually to substi- 

 tute for it a silken thread. 



All bridles, by whatever names they may be called, 

 are but the contrivances of a government that depends 

 for authority on concealment of its weakness. Hard 

 hands will inevitably make hard pullers, but to the 



; E; 2 



