300 ON BREAKING RACING COLTS. 



is much to be preferred, to a spring cross, until their 

 mouths become more perfect. 



There may be some few which may have one side 

 of their mouths more forward than the other, and this 

 arises from the same attention not having been paid in 

 handUng that side as the other. This is a matter of 

 importance, and the colt-breaker should be very atten- 

 tive to it. He should ride all the colts in turn him- 

 self, and if he finds a colt's mouth uneven, — that is, 

 one side of the mouth more sensible to the pressure of 

 the bit than the other, he should either continue to ride 

 such colt himself, or have him rode immediately under 

 his direction by a man of experience, who should feel 

 and handle that side of the mouth more frequently 

 than the other ; and as soon as this side becomes 

 equally sensible with the other, he should, now and 

 then, by lightly handling the bit, bring the colt's head 

 round towards his own knee ; and he should be fre- 

 quently turned on this side. The other side of the 

 mouth must not, however, in the mean time be neg- 

 lected. 



All race-horses, from the manner in which they are 

 held by the boys when at exercise, pull more or less 

 in their work ; but this is of little consequence, pro- 

 vided they pull fair; that is, if their mouths are even, 

 and equally sensible on both sides to the pressure of 

 the bit, otherwise they are very difficult to guide. As 

 soon as their heads can be got sufficiently up and in 

 place, and their mouths are perfectly sensible on both 

 sides to the pressure of the mouthing bit, a second sort 



