Training to the Curb-bit 139 



come sore the animal begins to hold his head to one 

 side, to toss it up or carry it unsteadily, to pull on 

 the lines and finally to go irregularly in his gait, to 

 hitch, to interfere and the like. 



When the horse is made familiar with the uses of 

 the curb-bit by using the dumb jockey or the bitting- 

 rig as described (p. 60), if at any time he shows 

 evidence of discomfort, loosen the side-reins and 

 then tighten them gradually. It is important to 

 have the bit of the correct length and properly ad- 

 justed. If he draws his tongue up in his mouth, 

 or puts it over the bit, it is because the bit is too 

 low, in which case it should be raised. If he gets 

 his head too low, it should be held in the proper po- 

 sition by using a check-rein. Training to the uses 

 of the curb-bit requires patience, perseverance and 

 tact. The tendency is to hurry this part of the 

 work too rapidly. If the mouth becomes sore, 

 rest it by keeping the bit out until it is better; then 

 begin over again, using extra caution. The trainer 

 will be rewarded for his time and effort, as it is re- 

 markable how much the knee and hock action can be 

 increased by cultivating a responsive mouth. 



Shoeing to improve action. — Shoeing and weighting 

 are very important factors in properly balancing the 

 driving horse, but one cannot shoe or weight a horse 

 correctly until making a critical study of his move- 

 ments. 



In training the trotting horse, it is often necessary 



