HACK AND HARNESS HORSE 69 



straight in the neck and got their noses out and 

 I might as well have pulled against a tree or 

 the limited mail. I think also that any man 

 who has ever driven a pair of high-spirited 

 harness horses just a little above themselves 

 will be ready to admit that they are pleasanter 

 to drive and safer as well if driven in a bearing 

 rein. I once very much astonished a gentleman 

 who was holding forth about the cruelty of 

 bearing reins, by asking if he had ever driven 

 four pullers without them, and after a moment's 

 hesitation he admitted that he had not. I 

 very much question whether he had ever done 

 much driving of any kind, though no doubt 

 he would hold to the opinion which Sydney 

 Smith said that every man possesses, viz. 

 that he could drive a gig. The bookish theoric 

 was very much in evidence in much of what 

 he said as is generally the case with people 

 who are dogmatic on subjects of which they 

 have had little practical experience. 



'' But/' I can hear the opponent of the 

 bearing rein say, '* there were four-in-hand teams 

 at Olympia which had not bearing reins, and 

 when one can do without it, all can." The fact 

 is freely admitted, but the conclusion is a false 

 one. It might just as well be said that because 

 a well-broken, light-mouthed horse can be held 

 in a rubber-covered snaffle, no horse should be 

 ridden in a curb. A curb bit hurts when it is 

 used, but it is much better that a horse which 

 is getting a little out of hand should suffer a 



