236 Restheness: its Pi-evention and Cure, 



nearly to touch the breast ; In both it escapes altogether 

 the action of the mouthpiece ; but the difference of po- 

 sition assumed points to a corresponding difference of 

 conformation. The undermost figure shows that the 

 way in which the head is set on the neck, and the build 

 of both, offer no obstacle in themselves ; and the pre- 

 sumption is, therefore, that there is something weak or 

 defective in the loins, hind quarters or legs. On the 

 other hand, in the upper figure there is evidence that 

 such obstacles do exist in the head and neck, the hind 

 quarters being, perhaps, very powerful. In a word, 

 horses with short necks, narrow jaws and ill set-on 

 heads, or, again, with long, unstable necks, endeavor 

 to escape the pain occasioned by injudicious attempts 

 to force these into a certain shape bj- running away in 

 the position of the upper figure ; while those with well- 

 formed heads and necks will, if their hind quarters be 

 weak, usually adopt that of the lower one — the getting 

 down of the head alone bringing the weight well on to 

 the fore legs, and consequently easing the weak part. 

 It sometimes happens that there are defects at both ends, 

 and want of judgment or temper in the rider will easily 

 drive such a poor, weak creature to despair ; for those 

 who have had much experience with young horses 

 must have remarked that the powerful and well-built 

 ones seldom take to bolting unless there is something 

 wrong with their tempers. 



The first impulse of the great majority of riders whose 

 horses bolt is, to put a sharper bit into their mouths, or 

 at least to shorten the curb, and perhaps rig the horse 

 out with some sort of martingal or running-reins that 

 gives them a good hold of the head, to secure which 

 more effectually they plant their feet firmly in the stir- 

 rups, probably at the same time throwing their own 

 weight as far back as possible toward the horse's loins. 

 Energy is an admirable thing, but the energy of stu- 



