122 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP 



double bridles, and try to ride a little better ourselves 

 before we blame our horses, or change our bits. 



If a horse carries his head too low when galloping, 

 I find the best solution is, not to ride him in a gag, 

 but to let him have his head. It very often happens 

 that directly he finds the rider isn't going to carry 

 his head for him he raises it of his own accord. But 

 if he insists on carrying it low, it is probably due to 

 conformation or a confirmed bad habit, and no bit 

 will improve him. 



Snaffles 



Another question I am often asked is whether 

 it is right to ride with a snaffle only. 



I do not think it can ever be right to bit a horse 

 in this way, except for racing and exercise with a 

 groom. The expression " a perfect snaffle mouth " 

 is often seen in advertisements, but what that 

 means I do not know. Nearly every horse 

 can be controlled in a snaffle, if the rider has 

 sufficient strength to do so, and in that way we 

 can, perhaps, place all horses in that category. 

 But if it means that the horse in question will 

 bridle, and collect himself in a snaffle just as well 

 as in a double bridle, then, I can say, I have never 

 met such a horse, and I don't expect I ever shall. 

 There are horses, certainly, that have extremely 

 light mouths, and too light indeed for many riders, 

 and under those circumstances it is better for them 

 to be ridden by these riders in snaffles. But for 

 riders who possess good hands, and are accom- 

 plished horsemen, I am convinced that those 



