The Carriage Horse and Bearing Rein. 93 



THE CARRIAGE OR COACH HORSE 



Owes its origin to the Cleveland bays, great at- 

 tention being paid to breeding them in Yorkshire, 

 Durham, and Northumberland, many fine horses 

 of this class being also bred in Lincolnshire. 

 The most nsefnl are those which are propagated 

 by a cross of the Cleveland mare and a thorough- 

 bred horse. These have fine knee actions, lift 

 their feet high, which gives grandeur to their 

 figure and paces ; the head is generally well 

 carried, with a beautifully elevated crest, and 

 when they are driven without the bearing rein, 

 they look a really noble horse. Yet such is the 

 force of folly and fashion that the bearing rein — 

 that foul implement of torture — is still upon 

 many a noble steed, and gentlemen will actually 

 tell us that it makes the horse look better. It is 

 a relic of a barbarous age, and the sooner it is 

 placed in the museum as a relic of the past, the 

 fewer broken knees and enlargements of the 

 maxillary glands will be seen among our horses. 

 It is impossible for the horse with its head tied to 

 its back to recover itself if it makes a false step ; 

 yet such is the folly and ignorance displayed that 

 we are often told that the bearing rein is put on 

 to hold the horse up and keep it from stumbling. 

 To those persons who believe in the use of the 

 bearing rein, I would advise that they should 

 run over rough ground with their hands tied 

 behind their backs, and judge for themselves if 

 they would be able to save themselves if they 

 made a false step. The head acts the same pur- 



