HANDBOOK OF THE TURF. 29 



Bearing? Rein. The check-rein ; the rein by which tlie 

 head of the horse is held in place, and by which it is partially 

 controlled. 



Beaten. To lose in a race. " When you are beaten, stop 



riding," says Sidney in the Book of the Horse; "don't punish 



your horse to win second or third jilace." 



One of John Turner's strong points is that when he is beaten and he 

 knows it, he stops punislung liis horse right there, and instead of 

 wearing hini out trying to do something impossible, saves liim for 

 another day.— Life "with tlie Trotters, Jolin Sphin. 



Beauty. Gracefulness, pleasing proportions ; an outline 



which delights the eye. 



Beauty of form is never lost sight of in the constrnetion of the horse; 

 and even great sacrifices of mechanical power are made to maintain 

 graceful lines, and that general contour of form that gave to him 

 his matchless beauty — beauty so great that to the eye of a super- 

 ficial observer it is difflc\dt to decide whetlier it is subordinate to 

 strength or conversely. Both are developed in a perfect horse to 

 such a degree that he has been a favorite theme of poets and paint- 

 ers since aesthetic culture has had a place in the history of our race. 

 —The Horse in Motion, J. I). B. Stillnian. 



Bedding". Litter : the material of which a bed is made 

 for a horse, in his stall or box. Wheat and rye straw are the 

 best materials for bedding. They are better than oat straw, 

 because stronger, tougher, and more easily spread. ' From eight 

 to ten potinds of straw per day furnishes a good bed. Sawdust 

 answers very well for a bedding in summer, but in winter 

 should only be used when covered on top with a layer of straw. 

 Sawdust is also used in cases where horses have the bad habit 

 of eating the straw used as bedding. In town stables peat- 

 moss, or moss-litter is largely used. It is a powerful deodorizer 

 and absorbent, makes a soft, elastic bed, and is not eaten, as a 

 rule, even by the most inveterate bedding-eating horse. Its use 

 keeps the feet soft, and it is said that horses bedded with it 

 never require to have their feet " stopped." It is found abund- 

 antly in countries on the European continent, whence it is 

 imported to England and this country. 



Bell. The trotting rules require that the bell from the 

 judges' stand shall be rung ten minutes previous to the time 

 announced for the race or heat to take place. If the word is 

 not given, all the horses in a heat shall immediately turn at 

 the tap of the bell, when scoring, and jog back for a fresh start. 



Bell. In the time of James I., of England, 1603-1625, 

 the race courses were called bell courses, the prize being a 

 silver bell. The winner was said to bear or carry the bell. 

 The first bells awarded as prizes for goodness in horses in 

 Britain were wooden, trimmed with flowers, and were given to 

 the winners in the train-scents, so called from the body of some 

 animal which had previously been drawn across hedge and 



