FIRST-HAND BITS OF STABLE LORE 



receives a terrific jab on that sensitive membrane, 

 and a bruise which either grows more and more 

 deep-seated until some bone sloughs away, or, 

 continually painful, renders him frantic each time 

 he is harnessed. Nor does the mischief end here, 

 because he finds that, if he pulls hard enough, 

 that infernal chain round his jaw, and that double- 

 fisted Indian that is driving him, form a combi- 

 nation which will quickly destroy all sensation. 

 Of the two evils he chooses the lesser, and another 

 confirmed puller is educated. 



Mouth and manners are interdependent, and 

 no horse which has a bad mouth can have good 

 manners. Heavy hands make bad mouths, and 

 so far as equestrianism goes, no man can possibly 

 have good hands who has not a strong and secure 

 seat, while he may possess a very firm seat and 

 the very worst of hands. The interpretation of 

 what constitutes " good hands " is generally 

 wrong, and half the people who pride themselves 

 upon such possessions will be found to be actually 

 riding and driving their horses " behind the bit;" 

 that is, they do not make their animals go up to 

 and face it, but allow the "give and take" proc- 

 ess to be all "give." There is more to "hands" 

 than mere manipulation. There is the intui- 



106 



