FIRST-HAND BITS OF STABLE LORE 



for controlling or influencing pace or action is 

 promptly penalized ; why punish for the employ- 

 ment of what every one can see, and omit investi- 

 gation as to concealed means of control which 

 may be far more severe and inexcusable ? 



As is well known, many horses go quietly 

 single if the breeching is omitted, but strongly 

 object when that sometimes necessary portion of 

 the equipment is used. Yet, in championship 

 classes at least, it would seem that the competitors 

 should be put to this and all other conceivable 

 fair tests ; for certainly champions should possess 

 perfection of manners and mouth. A horse also 

 which must be gag-checked until his backbone 

 creaks, and he can't close his eyes, is deficient in 

 deportment. Our saddle-horse classes are ham- 

 pered with such proper requirements to but slight 

 extent, and exhibitors employ all sorts of arrange- 

 ments to get away with the money if possible. 

 Not thirty per cent of their horses will back ; not 

 half of them stand still, either mounted or to be 

 mounted ; and not one of them is ever required 

 to "side-step" freely and instantly, as he must 

 do if his rider wishes to open a gate or a door 

 from his back, hold it, sidle round it (pirouette), 

 and close it again. A saddle-horse is supposed to 



102 



