Els^GLISII VS. IRISH RIDING. 49 



general use of liis ears in order to relieve his mouth from 

 the unnecessary severity of the bit ? Bad mouthing from 

 the start has been the cause of the great variety of severe 

 bits, some of which are represented among the illustra- 

 tions, and are curiosities more for their unnecessary use 

 and senseless variety than for the peculiarity of their 

 complications. 



We cannot conceal our surprise at the facility with 

 which some men can make up their minds to part with 

 horses already trained to their hands and voices, and buy 

 strange ones that it may take years to train and know 

 and be known as w^ell. The hunter that is trained to his 

 rider's hand, voice and ways, is valuable only to him in 

 these particulars ; to a strange rider he is dangerous until 

 both understand each other. "We see teams of coach 

 horses purchased in the spring and sold in the fall, to be 

 replaced by other stock the following year. The pleasure 

 in driving, like that of riding, is in knowing one's horses 

 — knowing what they can and will do under all circum- 

 stances. But if the pleasure of *^ coaching" consists in 

 driving one coach after another in a procession at a gait 

 regulated by law, if it was not for the name of the thi|ig 

 a man might as well drive a postillion for all the art there 

 is displayed or necessary in driving in procession. Yet 

 when anything is made fashionable by custom, the slave 

 follows. But when the neck is in danger, and the nian and 

 his horse must be of one mind for either success or pleas- 

 ure, we w^ould recommend the retention of the trained 

 horse that suits the rider, who in turn must suit the 

 horse. 



SIGJs^S OF GOOD AND BAD HORSES FOR THE SADDLE. 



If we see a number of horses being led along a road, 

 one horse hangs back and allows himself to be dragged 

 along by the halter, while another trots up freely, ahead 



