n6 Bits and LlttlTig. 



" handling" was almost all done when the horse was 

 standing still, and its effect either became null when the 

 animal was put in motion, or, if preserved, the power 

 of locomotion was seriously impeded. No horse ever 

 voluntarily assumed such a position of his head and 

 neck as that prescribed by M. Baucher — in fact, it was 

 wholly unsuited to any form of movement ; it was like 

 attempting to steer a ship that had no way on her. He 

 overlooked altogether the problem of equilibrium in 

 motion, and tnistook dlmhiution or restriction of 7no- 

 tive pozver for a fcifoct command over it^ under all 

 circ2imstances and at every degree of speed. It is un- 

 necessary to add that the demon of restiveness, whose 

 habitation he fancied he had discovered in the neck- 

 joint, and whom he constantly attempted to exorcise, 

 W'as simply the creature of his own fantasy. 



The various purposes to which horses are applied 

 demand, of course, different details of handling ; but one 

 broad principle applies to them all — namely, to get the 

 whole lever power of the animal to act in conjunction 

 with its weight in the required direction, and this with 

 such a degree of leaning on the bit that the power of 

 controlling all its motions with certainty and ease is 

 secured, without the necessity of interfering in so abrupt 

 a manner with the animal's efforts as to impede them 

 unnecessarily ; and to do this in such a manner that the 

 peculiarities of the individual horse and of his work are 

 brought gradually into harmony, is the only effectual 

 means we possess for avoiding all occasion for restive- 

 ness, and constitutes rational handling, as distinguished 

 from purely empirical horse-breaking, as it is usually 

 practiced. For this is the true secret, and not such 

 violent methods as those employed by Mr. Rarey and 

 others. Do not, if possible, give your horse an oppor- 

 tunity of resisting your will successfully, which is usu- 

 ally a consequence of your demanding from him some- 



