220 PfiECEPT AND PRACTICE. 



would be 110 better off from the being informed there 

 were such. 



If a man pays my judgment the compUment of 

 asking what description of bridle I would recommend 

 for a horse that throws his head up, I could not ex- 

 pect he would say : "I have what you would call 

 * no hands,' consequently my horse, to avoid the 

 punishment of the bit, my hands, such as they are, 

 occasion him, throws up his head." Such, however, 

 I suspect, would be about the fair way of stating the 

 case. 



Supposing he was candid enough to state this, I 

 should first inquire, has your horse a good mouth, 

 that is, a tender one, which, from his throwing up 

 his head, I suspect is the case ? Is his mouth, 

 temper, and disposition such that a curb-bit can be 

 dispensed with? If it is, ride your horse by all 

 means in a plain snaffle and martingal (not a nose 

 one). If he requires a curb, use an easy one, and 

 only make use of it occasionally. I would strongly 

 recommend all men with bad hands to use martin- 

 gals ; not exactly to keep the horse's head down^ but 



