142 BITS AND BITTING. 



nicety ; for the bit that will prevent bolting, and enable 

 the jock to ride a waiting race, may interfere with the 

 horse's starting freely, or " laying himself out when 

 called upon." No doubt the jockey that has a very 

 close and steady seat, and places himself on the right 

 part of his horse's back, will be able to ride almost 

 every horse with a snaffle, because, being independent of 

 the reins for his seat, his hand is light and this is the 

 secret of snaffle-riding. Still it is often a matter of 

 convenience or necessity to use a curbed bit, and it is 

 therefore important even for the race-rider to know 

 exactly on what principle its action depends. 



Again, with the hunting man, the bit that enables 

 him to hold a runaway may interfere with the horse in 

 jumping. If he be not a mere rein- and- stirrup rider, 

 he can no doubt get on best with a snaffle ; but many 

 a man does not like the labour of holding a pulling 

 horse, and therefore prefers a bit. The difficulty a good 

 rider that prefers the bit will have to contend with is 

 to avoid the getting too powerful a bit, or the putting 

 a suitable one into a part of the horse's mouth where 

 it must act contrary to his intention. Well, what we 

 profess to show is, that light bits accurately fitted are 

 more to be relied upon than the most atrocious instru- 

 ments of torture ever invented, and of which but too 

 many are in daily use. 



But we must in justice to ourselves say here, once 

 for all, that we know of nothing that can be done in 

 the way of bitting for the man that depends for his 

 seat on his reins or on his stirrups, which comes to 

 the same thing. The rider with a really good steady 

 seat can jump his horse with precisely the same bitting 

 that suits the school-rider or cavalry soldier, if he 



