38 ROAD, PARK, AND SCHOOL 



that with increased experience and knowledge of the 

 powers of an enraged horse comes a discretion, 

 very far removed from timidity, that young riders 

 would strongly condemn. While I warn my readers 

 that timidity upon the part of the man is almost 

 certain to result in some disaster, I advise each one 

 to start out with that discretion that comes to most 

 of us through experience. 



There is nothing more annoying to the judicious 

 horseman than to find himself upon the back of a 

 badly bitted animal, which is in that state of irrita- 

 bility known in the stables as ' freshness.' In this 

 condition the horse is so unreasonable, if I may use 

 the term, that it is only by making concessions that 

 the man can avoid a battle with the animal ; and 

 the bit and spur, to which under other circum- 

 stances the horse might render obedience, must be 

 used with discretion and moderation. 



If. after a long rest in the stable, the horse be 

 1 longed ' upon the cavesson rein for a short time 

 before it is mounted, the more violent ebullitions of 

 temper may be disposed of before the rider trusts 

 entirely to his skill in the management of the horse. 

 For there is no better way of reducing the nervous 

 and excitable animal to calmness than by means of 

 that powerful but harmless instrument, the cavesson. 

 Nor do I think it any disparagement to the horse- 



