214 THE PERFECT HORSE. 



when he is cultivated and improved into a fast horse. 

 What you want the trotter to do when he is at speed is 

 to be got into him through his mouth. You may 

 encourage him by speaking to him, or sting him into 

 a greater effort with the whip ; but neither of these is 

 half as good as the play upon the reins, with which 

 you let him know what you want through his lively, 

 sensitive mouth. You are then to keep in constant 

 mind the necessity of not impairing the colt's mouth 

 by rough handling of the reins. If you pull and lug at 

 the bit, the colt, in his efforts to resist what hurts 

 him, will very soon pull too ; for he will find out that 

 this numbs and deadens the jaws : but this is at the 

 expense of ruination to the mouth. It will become 

 hard and insensible"; and the first and largest part of 

 the mischief which goes towards the making of a hard 

 puller is done. 



" When you begin to drive the colt, you must find out 

 what sort of bit suits him best. This is matter of ex- 

 perimental trial. Use both bars and snaffles, all easy ; 

 and by feel of hand, and observation of the way in 

 which the colt carries his head, you will soon be able to 

 ascertain which bit suits him best. The nicety of your 

 touch as driver should correspond to the lively sensi- 

 bility of the colt's mouth. A bad-tempered, hasty man 

 will very soon spoil a good-tempered young horse. 

 The use of the whip ought, as a general rule, to be 

 avoided. In some cases, it must be used ; but it should 

 never be brought into play when the hors# does not 



