THE YOKE (not) EASY. 97 



as indispensable to such stables as those I have 

 alluded to, and attempted to describe, of course 

 we do not contemplate such grievances. 



I will mention a case where I found that one 

 neck-collar, though it had been made purposely 

 for a particular horse, was not enough ; a horse of 

 mine, that had picked up a nail, had been thrown 

 for upwards of two months out of work, and liad 

 been merely exercised ; being naturally a gross 

 horse, he had become, by the time he was sound, 

 very lusty. I wanted to join a party in a three 

 weeks' summer tour ; and this horse being a par- 

 ticularly good tandem leader, I took him, fat as 

 he was, knowing we should only go easy and 

 slow stages. For upwards of a fortnight all went 

 on well ; but then I found his shoulders began to 

 chafe; and, in fact, on coming in one evening, 

 they had become sadly scalded. I soon hit upon 

 the cause of this ; his flesh not being as firm as it 

 ought to be when he started, he had lost in size 

 considerably on the journey, and had got below 

 his usual mark ; consequently, though on starting 

 his collar was tighter than usual, it had become 

 too large for him, and then, as a matter of course, 

 wrung his shoulders. 



If people are contented to ride or drive horses 

 in bridles and bits that do not suit their mouths, 

 of course a very few will do ; but if we want 

 horses to go pleasantly, each must have his bridle ; 



H 



