1 1 8 Bits and Bitting. 



rider will seek a support for himself in the reins, and 

 the horse immediately bores against this, and becomes 

 a hard puller ; whilst the steady seat makes a light hand 

 and a soft mouth. 



It is, in like manner, easy to understand why not 

 only individuals, but whole breeds of horses, should be 

 found naturally light or heavy in the hand, which is 

 owing mainly to the general framework being more or 

 less favorable to equilibrium in motion — mainly, but not 

 wholly, because the interior conformation of the mouth 

 has always a certain influence, and this is scarcely iden- 

 tical in any two horses, even as merely regards those 

 points that have a direct bearing on the working of the 

 bit; and, moreover, because temper and even sex have 

 also to do with it.* 



It is abundantly evident, from the foregoing remarks, 

 that the question of bits and bitting cannot be solved 

 without reference to the whole theory of riding and 

 draught ; in fact, it forms a very important part of both, 

 which must serve as an apology for the contents of this 

 introductory chapter. Indeed we must go a step farther 

 in this direction, and call the reader's attention to an- 

 other item. What has been said on the subject of the 

 lever action of the neck will suffice to indicate that the 

 direction in which the pull of the reins is made to act 

 on the centre of motion, through the medium of the 

 head, must necessarily determine both the direction and 

 intensity of the lever action transmitted in succession to 

 the other parts of the animal's frame. It is in conse- 

 quence of this that by merely elevating or depressing 

 the hands, emplojnng a certain amount of pressure with 

 * It will be necessary to go into farther detail on this point in a sub- 

 sequent chapter. In the mean while, we cannot refrain from observ- 

 ing how absurd it is to attempt rigid uniformity in the patterns of bits 

 used by cavalry, or, as is not unfrequently done, continuing through a 

 long series of years the use of a bit originally destined for a very dif- 

 ferent kind of horse from that found in the ranks at the present day. 



