I04 Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



ing them the greatest freedom in breathing by making a 

 straighter air-passage from the nostrils to the lungs. This 

 style of harness may enable a horse to do a mile in several 

 seconds less time than he could accomplish it in if the har- 

 ness had an ordinary bearing-rein, or even no check at all, 

 and, so far as speed is concerned, the overdraw has its 

 legitimate use. It has, however, like the jockey's style of 

 holding the reins, become almost universal. You can 

 hardly find in a harness-shop in America a breast-collar 

 harness that has not the overdraw-check on the bridle. 

 It is seen everywhere, among farmers and among livery- 

 men, and from it Americans have copied a style of holding 

 the reins that results in the worst possible position of the 

 hands for ordinary riding and driving ; and the very best 

 that could be adopted for making pullers. There is no 

 room for doubt in the matter — the one great drawback 

 to American horsemanship is bad hands ; the nation is in 

 this respect just about as bad as it could be made : yet it is 

 the one thing needed to make Americans the most finished 

 riders in the world. 



And good as the English riders and drivers are in hands, 

 the Irish horsemen take the prize from them. The Irish 

 are simply perfection. They ride with a light Pelham bit, 

 which is simply a curb-bit without a snaffle. It is a very 

 severe bit, but with their masterly hands they leave it severely 

 alone. By this same token I should think it an excellent 

 thing for any one who wished to cultivate good hands to 

 practise riding with curb-lines. The consciousness of 

 the bit's being so severe would make one very careful how 

 he took hold of it. A bit like this in a tender mouth 



