OTJE HOEbES AND THEIR BRIDLES. 249 



of fretting, capering, prancing pace. The good old 

 English roadster's style of walk, trot, or canter, is too 

 steady for your fast young man ; he thinks it far beneath 

 him to speak a kindly word to his horse, or to control 

 him by an easy signal ; and however quiet the horse 

 may be, he is rarely seen on his back without at least 

 four unnecessary instruments of torture namely, two 

 spurs with sharp rowels, one whip, and a severe curb 

 bridle. Why should it be the universal custom in this 

 country for men armed with these cruel instruments of 

 torture to ride quiet docile horses, and often punish, 

 them for a fancied fault, which they themselves bring 

 about by their own want of experience and knowledge 

 of the horse's nature. Our young gentleman will allow 

 his terrier or Newfoundland dog to run by his side, will 

 treat him and speak to him as tenderly as he would a 

 sweetheart, but he would be considered a hardened brute 

 if he led his Newfoundland in a string attached to a 

 severe bit in his mouth, and constantly applying a whip^ 

 or a sharp spur, to his body fancy this in Kegent 

 Street. How soon the officers of " The Society for the 

 Prevention of Cruelty to Animals" would be down upon 

 him ; and yet the same young man is allowed to bit, 

 spur, or whip a horse to his heart's content, whether the 

 poor animal deserves it or not. I maintain that punish- 

 ment, undeservedly inflicted upon any dumb animal, is 

 cruel, and un-English in the extreme; and I am sorry 

 to add that no animal in creation is more undeservedly 

 punished than the horse. Nine horses out of ten will 



