228 BITTING THE COLT 



conformation of his head and shoulders, it is quite im- 

 possible for him to maintain without great and un- 

 necessary suffering. Any man with common observa- 

 tion, although unacquainted with the anatomy of the 

 horse, may see by the junction of the head with the neck, 

 or, in plainer terms, how the head is set on, the position in 

 which it must be carried with any degree of comfort to 

 the animal ; for the difference between a curved and 

 straight or ewe neck must be obvious enough ; and yet, 

 by some very ignorant people, professing to be horsemen, 

 horses, young and old, are forced, by being thus un- 

 naturally reined up, to defeat the very purpose for which 

 the bit is intended ; in short, their mouths become as 

 insensible and hardened as a piece of old shoe-leather. A 

 colt should never be obliged to rest or hang his head's 

 weight upon the bit, neither should he be forced to stand 

 with it in his mouth in the stable more than two or three 

 hours at a time. By standing on the bit is meant that 

 the bridle-reins are attached to a dumb jockey or a sur- 

 cingle on the colt's back, with two other cross-reins from 

 the bit affixed to each side of the stall. 



When accustomed to the bit in the stable the colt may 

 be led out with the reins attached to a surcingle on his 

 back, taking care that they do not strain too much on 

 his mouth, which would cause him to rear ; for in forming 

 a horse's mouth the greatest care is necessary, and herein 

 lies the chief art of horse-breaking, which so few under- 

 stand. In a work pubHshed a few years since, I remarked 

 on the cruelty practised by coachmen in their tight 

 bearing-reins, by which the mouths of the unfortunate 

 animals imder their care are drawn nearly to their back 

 teeth ; and often have I witnessed with feelings of in- 

 dignation hundreds of the finest horses in the world, 



