1 1 2 Breaking. 



to pull on one side, and to get an uneven mouth ; whereas, 

 when standing in the stable, and the reins are buckled 

 to his roller, crossed over his withers, he can never do 

 otherwise than get an even pull upon all parts of his mouth, 

 whether he puts his lips close to one side of the bit or the 

 other. 



This is a very important point in breaking all colts, and 

 in racing stock it is doubly so, because of the necessity of 

 preserving that delicacy of sensation without which they 

 can never be taken round corners, &c, except by lying out 

 of their ground, and hence losing a considerable distance. 

 But with this bit the mouth is gradually made, and with- 

 out producing soreness in any part which afterwards takes 

 the bit ; and this is the great feature in its use, for as the 

 tongue and gums take its pressure chiefly, so the angles of 

 the mouth only touch it at the will of the colt, and it is 

 when playing with it that they do touch at all, and then 

 only to such an extent as to avoid pain to themselves. 

 This bit, then, may be used on all occasions without fear 

 until the colt is fit to take his gallops, when a strong 

 snaffle may be substituted, and gradually supplanted by 

 that small and fine kind called the Racing Snaffle, but 

 which need not be nearly so small for the horse broken to 

 the segmental bit as for one " mouthed " to the ordinary 

 •breakers snaffle. After the bit has been put in the mouth, 

 no attempt at first should be made to induce the colt to 

 play with it ; but it may be suffered to remain in the 

 mouth while he is led about by the cavesson, and without 

 any side-reins being attached. When this has been done 

 for a day or two, the side-reins are buckled on, and are 

 attached also to the buckles in the roller, crossing them 

 over the withers. At first they may be drawn up verj 

 slightly, so as just to prevent the colt from putting his 

 head into his usual position, and in that form he may be 

 left in his box for an hour a day, besides the usual 

 amount of walking out of doors with the bridle on. They 

 may now be gradually tightened a hole or two per day, 

 and also more so in the box than when led out, when the 

 tightening should be very gradual indeed. Some colts 

 very soon begin to champ the bit, and play with it, whilst 



