THE HORSE. 167 



SECTION XXVI. 



Upon the high road, and with a beginner, it would 

 be out of place to say much respecting the gallop ; 

 again, few English, or, indeed, European readers, 

 have need to be taught that the left is their right side 

 of the road, or the reason why it is so. It has been 

 observed that the curb ouo-ht to be reserved for occa- 

 sional use ; in course, that the curb alone and single 

 rein is an unfair bridle towards the horse and entirely 

 deceptious to the rider, since its first effect is to torture 

 and ultimately to harden the horse's mouth, depriving 

 it of all the fine sensibility, the basis of that which, 

 par excellence, we style a good mouth. The curb 

 beside, is an awkward bit wherewith to turn a horse, 

 it being calculated only for pulling straight forward. 

 It has also been before remarked that, in former 

 days, the snaffle was deemed the severest bit, no 

 doubt from its being made small and sharp; as all 

 things change for better or for worse, we have, during 

 a great length of time, and for the better, changed 

 the snaffle into a mild bit ; not but that the foUy yet 

 remains with ingenious bit makers and inconsiderate 

 horsemen, of using hard and sharp snaffles. A horse 

 is a hard puller, and you are devising all kinds of 

 tricks and schemes for severe bits, wherewith to hold 

 him, by which indeed you have your revenge, such 

 as it is, by fretting and punishing the animal, ren- 

 dering his mouth callous, and enabling him to pull 

 with an increased force. Young horses should be 

 first put to work with mild bits, and chiefly accus- 

 tomed to the snaffle, which will ensure a good mouth, 





