Chapter VI. 



RUNNING AWAY. 



THOUGH the treatment for this habit is, to a great extent, given 

 under the heads of" Kicking " and " Fear," yet in bad cases it 

 is liable to be so troublesome to manage that I deem *it neces- 

 sary to consider it more definitely here. The main point is to make 

 the mouth manageable to the restraint of the bit. But if there is 

 much yiciousness or resistance, it is necessary to tone it down or 

 overcome it by a general course of 1 subjection^ when the control of 



the mouth can be made more easy and 

 certain. For example : A nervous, ex- 

 citable colt, so unmanageable as to be 

 both difficult and dangerous to put in 

 shafts by any control that could be 

 brought upon the mouth, after a proper 

 course of subjective treatment which 

 would overcome his fear and excitement, 

 would be found to offer but little re- 

 sistance to the control of even a common 

 bit. The effect is the same in the 

 management of headstrong, runaway 

 horses, moved by some special cause 

 of excitement, such as the rattling of a 

 wagon or other object. 



There are three principles of con- 

 trolling the mouth : 1. By training; as 

 done with the Breaking Bit ; 2. By a 

 form of bit that will prevent the horse 

 from pulling against it, on account of 

 the pain it may cause ; 3. By obtaining such power upon the mouth 

 and head as will control the horse directly. 



Of course these conditions run more or less into each other in 

 the different forms of bits given, the point in all cases being to use 

 such a form of bit or method of treatment as will safely and easily 

 effect the control desired. The Breaking Bit is undoubtedly the best 

 for making a hard mouth submissive and flexible. The Half-moon 



/ U88) 



Fig. 243.— The Patent Bridle. 



