HIGH CHECKING. 251 



prevent the hprse from throwing the head down below the breast, 

 and to curtail the head to its natural position, or slightly below it, 

 which is not seriously objectionable. 



The want of a proper training of the mouth (which is fully ex- 

 plained on page 88, and also under " Colt-Training") frequently 

 leads plucky, spirited horses to so lunge or pull recklessly against 

 the bit as to make them unmanageable and dangerous. This it is 



Fig. 804. — The Extreme Torture of the Bedouin or Gag Bearing-rein. 



sought to overcome by different forms of severe bits. When giv- 

 ing instructions and making experiments, I had almost daily lung- 

 ing, kicking, and runaway horses of the worst character brought 

 forward to be experimented upon, — horses that when used at all, 

 could only be driven by the most severe form of bit | and I was in- 

 .variably able to drive such without a check, giving the head entire 

 freedom, and I may say, without breeching as well, the most inter- 

 esting feature of which was the simplicity of treatment with which it 

 could be done. 



In a certain .class of lunging, headstrong horses, I call attention 

 under that head to checking the head high to repress resistance ; 

 but it is given as palliative treatment, in the absence of a better. I 

 call attention to it also to prevent a horse from kicking, because it 

 is difficult for a .horse to kick when checked high. But it is given 



