THE CAYALKY BTT-AXD-BRIDOON". C9 



such instances of life and death struggles by the indi- 

 Yidual members of a squadron or two of well led cavalry, 

 pending great battles, the loss of armies and the fates of 

 empires have been decided. There are so many advantages 

 uecessarv to the success of cavalrv chars^cs, that it does 

 not always depend upon the judgment of the commander. 

 The ground and strength of position will often favor tlie 

 numerically weaker force. 



FOREIGN OR EASTERN BITS. 



It may be argued that in Spanish- America, Spain, Tar- 

 tary, Circassia, Arabia, and Eastern countries generally, 

 the curb and ring bits are used singly on all occasions. 

 We are aware of this ; but, in the first place, the horse- 

 men in those countries are in the saddle from childhood 

 and know how to use the bit and spare the horse ; and, 

 secondly, while we have imported and adopted the bits, 

 we have left the riders at home. The curb bit in the 

 cavalry service, as in the hunting field, should never be 

 used in leaping, and as battle fields are geographically 

 uncertain, cavalry should be prepared to take things as 

 they come. But only one bit and two reins — one mild 

 and the other severe — on the Pelham plan, is the best 

 bit for the cavalry horse and the service he performs. 



With the curb bit alone the horse can be manoeuvred 

 in any way, but he cannot be made to leap unless he 

 chooses, for the use of the curb defeats the effort. It 

 intimidates and confuses the horse when he is calculating 

 his distance and taking the measure of the object before 

 him. It attracts his attention from his work, and draw- 

 ing his head down con vexes his crest when it ought to be 

 concaved, and instead of giving him his head as he wants 

 and needs it for both wind and action as well as observa- 

 tion, he is held down and back, both of which are the 

 very reverse of what we w^ant him to do ; hence the 



