164 THE PERFECT HOUSE. 



philosophy of bitting horses, upon which these ''bit- 

 ting-machines " are founded, is a fraud and folly. There 

 is no more need for them in a trainer's yard than there 

 is in a nursery. I make no limitation or modification of 

 this statement at all. Their true name is "fool's ma- 

 chine," and not " bitting-machine : " or more properly, 

 if you wish to designate their use and result of it, call 

 them "machines to spoil horses' mouths; " for this appel- 

 lation precisely describes them. A man using one ought 

 to be indicted before the common law of the country, 

 which should at least be able to prevent such cruelty to 

 animals. If any owner of a colt who reads this owns 

 or uses one of these " bitting-machines," I urge him to 

 burn it or bury it, as the most mischievous and hurtful 

 thing that he can have about his stables. If I wished 

 to make my colts " hogged-mouthed " and desperate 

 pullers, I would use one of these "infernal machines," 

 as I have no doubt the colts themselves call them, and 

 as they deserve to be called by colts and men. I will 

 show you how this plan of using these " machines " 

 works. 



To begin with, a colt's mouth is almost as tender as 

 a babe's when teething. The tongue, gums, lips, and 

 bars of the mouth, are as sensitive as the reader's. By 

 this very sensibility to pain. Nature has guaranteed man 

 against any trouble in reining him or controlling him. 

 He yields readily and easily to the slightest pressure. 

 Indeed, nothing is more noticeable than this provision 

 of Nature, by which the animal best adapted to be 



