70 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



little pain than that his rider should happen a 

 serious injury through him bolting, though some of 

 the Cruelty to Animals people don't seem to think 

 so. After all the man is the most important 

 animal of the two though one would scarcely 

 think so to hear the sentimentalists talk. 



So if your harness horse or horses are a little 

 straight in the neck — ^what dealers call ' with 

 their necks the wrong way up ' — do not hesitate 

 to use a bearing rein. But use it properly ; 

 do not have it too tight, and allow the horse 

 to have a little play with his head. If you don't 

 have a bearing rein you must have a standing 

 martingale if you would be safe ; that is if your 

 horse is of the peculiar shape which has been 

 described, which unfortunately too many harness 

 horses are. If the horses are well broken 

 and well bitted, and bend their necks well, and 

 are driven on country roads do not use a bearing 

 rein, but in London it is better, because safer, 

 to always use a bearing rein. 



The late Duke of Beaufort, than whom was no 

 more experienced coachman, and whose opinion 

 on anything relating to horse and hound is 

 entitled to the greatest respect writes : '' From 

 long experience and from having saved many 

 broken knees by their use, we advocate bearing 

 reins — especially on single harness — put on with 

 sense and discretion, so as to never be so short 

 as to annoy a horse in any way, and always 

 when standing still for any time to be unborne." 



Another writer in the Driving volume 



