HITCHING IN HORSES 21 



Starting off at too fast a pace, urging a horse 

 beyond his speed, particularly if he has a heavy 

 trap behind him, and allowing him to go uncol- 

 lectedly from driving with a loose rein, are 

 causes. Drivers that allow horses to rattle along 

 with their heads loose, particularly if they are in- 

 clined to be free, will make many hitchers, espe- 

 cially amongst young horses and those in which 

 there is a predisposition to the fault. 



Besides the causes already discussed and really 

 the most important of all, is the mouth, for a very 

 large percentage of "hitching" is referable to 

 that organ. Horses which carry their heads 

 steadily, hold them straight, with no crossing of 

 jaws or opening of the mouth, and which keep 

 their tongues in position under the bit and have 

 responsive, firm mouths, never "hitch" when they 

 have proper driving. Any discomfort of the 

 mouth caused by bruises, abrasions or excoria- 

 tions, making a horse sideline or bore, is very 

 apt, in the case of a very prompt horse, to cause 

 "hitching." On the other hand, horses that do 

 not face the bit firmly on account of soreness of 

 the mouth or from the bit being placed too low 

 in the mouth or from lack of courage, or any 

 cause that makes them go with unsteady heads, 

 are apt to "hitch." A driver or rider with what 

 is called bad hands is also apt to make a horse 

 "hitch." A driver with bad hands either takes a, 



