io8 THE HORSE 



A common fault In drivers of work-horses is to have 

 their inside reins too long. This causes the horses' 

 heads to be pulled to one side, which, in turn, is apt 

 to produce a sore shoulder. 



Private coachmen often go to the other extreme, and 

 couple their horses' heads so close together that they 

 cannot travel comfortably, are in a continual state of 

 irritation, and are likely to interfere. 



Be sure that the hand-pieces of your reins are long 

 enough. Nothing Is more dangerous or more likely to 

 make the driver pull unnecessarily on the bit than to 

 have the reins too short for the vehicle. 



THE CHECK REIN 



A whole book might easily be written about the use 

 and abuse of check reins. A check rein is always an 

 evil, but sometimes a necessary one. To use a check 

 rein on a mature horse is a confession that he has some 

 defect either of conformation, disposition, or training. 



There are several reasons for checking a horse. 

 First, to balance him. Some horses will travel more 

 easily If they are moderately checked with a side check. 

 Without a check such horses are apt either to sprawl, 

 or to lunge forward a little while trotting. The reason 

 probably is that these horses are not well-balanced; that 

 is, their shoulders and forelegs are too heavy for their 

 hind quarters, or vice versa, and perhaps a back too 

 long might produce the same result. Whatever the 

 cause, it Is certain that some horses will do better, even 

 on a long journey, if moderately checked, the check 

 being of such a length as to assist the horse in keeping his 



