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yield to your demand, if kindly treated, and take the bit as 

 kindly as an ear of corn. The kind of bit to be used. Well, 

 wo prefer the straight, plain bar, covered with leather or rub- 

 ber. The soft, easy bit is the best. We look upon all forms 

 of curb or buckeyed bits as simply so many methods of torture 

 to a young horse. Undoubtedly there are old horses that have 

 been spoiled by abuse, that need to be restrained by the use of 

 the curb bit. If so, they are entirely unfit for family use. But 

 with all the horses that we have handled, we have never found 

 one that would not behave better without the curb than with it. 

 When we have our horse properly bitted, his mouth thorough- 

 ly accustomed to receiving and holding the bit, we must then 

 proceed to teach him the use and motion of the rein, and we 

 must remember that the rein is the best possible medium of 

 communication between the horse and his driver, that we can 

 have. It is a perfect telephone, and the first that was ever in- 

 vented. But in order that this medium should accomplish its 

 highest purpose, it should be entirely unobstructed by check- 

 reins, overdraws or martingales. Clean them all off. Give 

 free play to the whole system, especially the neck and shoul- 

 ders. Let the rein draw straight as a line from the bit to the 

 driver's hand, so that the least movement of the hand will find 

 a quick response from the horse's mouth. You will thus avoid 

 contracting what is known as a hard mouth. The hard mouth 

 is an exception, and not the rule, naturally. It is almost im- 

 possible to fully comprehend the power you can exercise over 

 the horse with the rein. We have tried it sometimes., when 

 driving through a long piece of woodland, on a dark night, 

 and without speaking a word to the horse, or ever making a 

 sound with the voice, we have communicated with our horse, 

 through the rein, so as to send him along at the rate of ten 

 miles per hour, to the great delight of both horse and driver, 

 for the well trained horse loves his master, and will trust him 

 under all circumstances, and when he feels the electric current 

 flowing from an intelligent brain, behind him, he knows it is 



