2 60 BEARING-REIN CH. XII 



condemned, but some horses have a habit of putting 

 their heads down and boring on the bit so as to be 

 very fatiguing to the coachman. 



On such a horse, it is well to put a bearing-rein, 

 and let him pull on his own tail, instead of on the 

 arms of the coachman ; but, if he is to be kept in 

 the team, he should, if possible, be broken of the 

 habit by changing his bit, or by such mouthing and 

 handling as the skill of his owner permits. 



One of the reasons for using bearing-reins on 

 parade occasions, is, that many teams which go 

 pleasantly enough on the road, pull uncomfortably 

 when being driven close behind another coach, or 

 when excited by the continual stopping and start- 

 ing, unavoidable in crowds or at such places as the 

 entrance to a race-course. In such cases, bearing- 

 reins will save the coachman much annoyance and 

 fatigue ; but it must be said that a team which 

 will do all this kind of work, and look stylish, with 

 heads in the proper position, without bearing-reins, 

 is a better team and pays a higher compliment 

 to the coachman's hand, than one which requires 

 them. 



The bearing-rein will in many cases prevent a 

 horse from kicking, which he will not usually do 

 unless he can get his head down. As to the bear- 

 ing-rein keeping a horse from falling, it is entirely 

 impossible that it should do so in any sense of sup- 

 porting him ; although as far as it assists in gath- 

 ering him and keeping his hind legs under him, it 



