SOME GENERAL REMARKS. 313 



It also takes all delight from the rider 

 when his horse's mouth has been spoiled 

 by some heavy-hand(!d groom ; wherefore, 

 unless you have a man who can ride, exercise 

 your saddle horse yourself, or have him led, 

 and lend him only to one who knows how 

 a horse should be handled. Good horsemen 

 differ themselves somewhat as to the kind 

 of mouth they prefer. Some have no ob- 

 jection to being pulled at ; but to my mind 

 the lighter and more sensitive a horse's 

 mouth is, so long as he will go up to his 

 bit, the more pleasant he is either to ride 

 or drive. A hard-pulling animal which will 

 only stop when he chooses (however he may 

 assist an inferior rider to keep his seat by 

 allowing him to hang on to his head) is a 

 particular nuisance in the hunting field, 

 since he may carry you on top of the 

 hounds, smash your knee against a gate 

 post, or capsize one of the field before you 

 know where you are. Therefore, in making 



