THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 279 



consequently much of the draught is lost in the angles 

 they describe.'" 



Frank Baby. " Do you like throat-latching coach- 

 horses ? " 



Jack Webber. " Not always. I think wheelers are 

 better with more liberty than they have when throat- 

 latched, and many horses will pull and fret in the throat- 

 latch, but go quietly out of it ; they do not like the con- 

 finement of it. Dealing with horses' mouths, in harness, 

 to make them work pleasantly and equably, is no easy 

 task. Some will not face a curb ; on others it appears to 

 make very little impression. It is difficult to handle a 

 tender-mouthed leader. His coupling-rein must be at 

 the cheek, or " 



Frank Raby. "Why not drive him in a snaffle, at 

 once 1 " 



Jack Webber. " A snaffle is not safe : in case of a bolt, 

 or a drop, you cannot be sure of catching a horse up 

 quickly, at that distance from the hand. He should have 

 good liberty in his bearing-rein, and his curb-chain should 

 be slack. But, of all mouths, a dead mouth is the worst. 

 In this case, put the bearing-rein to the top of the bit (not 

 the cheek), and the coupling- rein to the lowest loop in the 

 bit, which creates a counter-action ; and not only makes 

 the bit of more service, but keeps the mouth in play. 

 This appears a severe remedy, but such is the danger 

 attending dead-mouthed horses, that we must not be too 

 scrupulous on that head." 



Frank Raby. " One of my wheel-horses is playful, and 

 has twice kicked over his trace. Should I work him in 

 a kicking trace 1 " 



Jack Webber. " No, it is not necessary ; what is called 

 a hip-strap is sufficient, by which the trace is lifted up as 

 the horse lifts himself ; thus he cannot jump over it. 

 It is not an ornament to your harness, having rather a 

 slow appearance ; but it looks better than a kicking-trace, 

 and, unless with a really vicious horse, answers all ends." 



" Sir John. " Were you ever hung up, Jack, on the 

 Brighton ground, for I know you loaded well, and there 

 are some sharp hills on it ? " 



Lord Edmonston. " Hung up I What are you talking 

 about 1 I think if Jack had been hung up for a very few 

 seconds, we should not have had him here, for his weight 

 would soon have " 



