282 BESTIVENESS : ITS PEEVENTION AND CUBE. 



transfer a portion of its own weight from its fore to its 

 hind legs, without thereby checking its forward impulse 

 more than is exactly necessary. This is easily done 

 by gradually shortening the snaffle-reins; and if the 

 horse carries his head too low, by adding bearing-reins, 

 for which purpose the dumb-jockey is useful. And now 

 the assistant with the whip has the greater part of the 

 work to do, it being his business, by demonstrations with 

 that instrument towards the horse's chest underneath 

 (not towards the hind legs), to keep the animal well up 

 to its work, whilst the trainer himself moderates the 

 pace by gently shaking the cord or line, never suffering 

 the horse to lean heavily on his hand, and never 

 himself taking a dead pull. 



These two functionaries must act perfectly in unison, 

 and both of them understand perfectly their work, 

 which requires judgment, patience, and dexterity. 

 Wonderful results may be obtained by a well-judged 

 use of the lounge, but we are bound to say that, in 

 unskilful hands, an enormous amount of mischief maybe 

 also perpetrated in the way of producing or confirming 

 restiveness, or even with the more tangible evidences of 

 curbs, spavins, and other lamenesses. It is impossible 

 to give any precise rule as to the amount by which 

 the reins may be shortened or the horse's head brought 

 up. All that can be said is this if the horse hurries 

 its trot, constantly increasing the pace, and finally 

 breaking into a canter, you may be sure that the 

 head is too low, and the weight still too much forward, 

 consequently you must bear it up gradually till this 

 ceases. On the other hand, if you find the horse 

 trotting unequally and irregularly, in something like a 

 mixture of trot and canter in an amble, or if it seems 



