Breaking Yearlings. 127 



hand, the two cheek pieces being grasped together about six 

 inches above the rings of the bit, the loose end of the un- 

 buckled poll-piece hanging down over the back of the hand. 

 Standing in front of the yearling, a little to the off-side, the 

 operator now takes hold of the head collar with his left hand, 

 to keep the pupil's head steady ; he then quietly places the 

 right hand, carrying the bridle, on the animal's face so that 

 the bit hangs just below the lips. (See illustration opposite.) 

 Give the yearling plenty of time to get used to this, then 

 gently insert the fingers of the left hand into his mouth, 

 keeping his head steady with the right hand on the nose. 

 Work the fingers about in his mouth for a while, and finally 

 prize it open with them ; then gently slide the right hand, 

 carrying the bridle, up his face till the bit enters his mouth. 

 Hold steady at that for a second or two to give him confi- 

 dence, then hook the little finger of the left hand through 

 the off-side ring of the bit without releasing the grip of the 

 head-collar. In one and the same deft movement, shift the 

 right hand so as to grip the near side of the head-collar, and 

 link up the near side ring of the bit on to the little finger. 

 The position then is : the bit is in its proper position in the 

 pupil's mouth, and should he toss his head about, the 

 operator can restrain him comfortably by his double grip of 

 the head-collar without putting the slightest pressure on the 

 bit, which hangs loosely in the mouth supported on the 

 hooked little fingers. The assistant then goes to the off-side 

 and quietly manoeuvres the unbuckled poll-piece of the 

 bridle over the yearling's neck at a distance of about nine 

 inches from his ears, leaving the loose end hanging down on 

 the near side. Coming round to the near side again, the 

 assistant just as carefully couples up this loose end of the 

 poll-piece with the near side jaw-piece, and after gently 



