72 DRIVING BRIDLES. 



not to press upon the horse's eyes, nor yet be 

 of a concave form enclosing them, but should 

 be only flat screens, allowing ample room for 

 the exercise of the lids, without friction, which 

 latter is frequently one of the miseries to which, 

 by carelessness, horses are subjected. 



Notwithstanding the present partial and in- 

 judicious disuse of the bearing-rein, a Driving 

 Bridle should have a separate bridoon-bit, with 

 a bearing-rein — no headstall — running through 

 rings or attached to the thread-strap, or sus- 

 pended from the headstall of the bridle. This 

 rein, thus forming an acute angle above the 

 cheek, raises the horse's head, keeps him light 

 upon his fore-feet, excites the nerves, and causes 

 him to move with ease and energy ; and this 

 bit, being also on the angle of the horse's 

 mouth, is a constant check on any wild indica- 

 tion of the animal. But the error of fixing both 

 the bearing-rein and the driving-rein together 

 upon the curb-bit only, causes each to counteract 

 the other ; for the bearing-rein holds the bit 

 above the effect of the lever of its long check 

 upon the curb-chain, when acted upon by the 



