CHAPTER XVIII 



"HANDS" IN DRIVING 

 By F. S. PEER 



ATTENTION has already been called to the necessity 

 of preserving the sensitiveness of a colt's mouth, when 

 educating him, by the use of a bit covered with leather; 

 when he is having his first lessons with the bit and 

 dumm- jockey, such lessons are commonly known as 

 "mouthing" and are of the greatest importance. When 

 we consider that our every wish or command is to be 

 communicated to a horse along the lines to a bit in his 

 mouth and further, when we take into account that 

 mere strength with us is as nothing compared with the 

 strength of a horse, the necessity of preserving a 

 horse's mouth as sensitive as possible is apparent. 



Americans, as a rule, are fairly good at anything 

 they undertake, but in the question of "mouthing" 

 colts, and "hands" in driving, they are about as bad as 

 possible. We may be pardoned for dwelling a little on 

 this point, for the want of "good hands" is one of the 

 most universal and most glaring defects in American 

 horsemanship. 



By good hands in driving is meant that delicacy of 

 touch that never pulls at a horse's mouth more than is 

 necessary, and never, on any account, when it is not 

 necessary. The reason why Americans have such bad 



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