120 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP 



horse is not made comfortable in gags or instru- 

 ments of torture like Hanoverian pelhams and 

 such- like. Neither can bits lessen the strength or 

 excitability of a horse. The more we hurt him 

 the more we increase his excitability, and the more 

 we ruin his temper. 



If one cannot ride a horse with comfort in an 

 ordinary double bridle, one cannot ride him better 

 in anything else. At least that is my experience, 

 and I have seen a good deal of it, one way and 

 another. A big strong horse may require a some- 

 what longer bar, but that is the only difference 

 that is required. There is some curious old saying 

 that there is " a key to every horse's mouth," 

 which, being interpreted, means, I suppose, that 

 some bit somewhere has been invented that will 

 make that particular horse go comfortably. It may 

 be so, but it is not my experience. It is not the 

 bit that matters, it is the riding. If we find a 

 horse too big and strong for us, or too keen, or too 

 fretful, let us admit it, and dispose of him to 

 some one who may like him better. But, for 

 heaven's sake, do not go on trying one severe bit 

 after another in the hope that by sheer cruelty we 

 shall be able to force him to do our will, or that 

 we shall be able to alter his character through the 

 agency of pain. If we train ourselves as well as 

 train our horses, we shall find that all these various 

 devices are unnecessary, and that the proper place 

 for all these wonderful bits is not the stable, but 

 the museum. Some people are much exercised if 

 a horse puts his tongue over the bit, and use all 

 sorts of devices to try and prevent his doing so. 



