THE HORSE'S MOUTH 59 



There is probably no animal in which a bad 

 habit is more apt to become confirmed than the 

 horse, and the restless, irritable habits he is liable 

 to develop on leaving the stable are among the 

 most disagreeable. Some horses do not what is 

 called "settle down" when first driven out, but 

 either prance, hop or canter for a varying distance. 

 This is generally accounted for by the owner as 

 being evidence that the animal in question is 

 "feeling too well," or, in other words, is suffering 

 from an exuberance of spirits. This may be the 

 cause, but in the large majority of cases it is at- 

 tributable to uneasiness in connection with the 

 mouth. Sometimes this discomfort may not be 

 the result of absolute soreness, as a change of bit 

 may cause it. It may be noticed in an otherwise 

 well broken horse where a curb bit is first sub- 

 stituted for a snaffle, particularly if it is placed 

 too low in the mouth and if, as very often hap- 

 pens, the tongue is put over it, in which case a 

 horse is very unlikely to go steadily, and his 

 mouth is almost sure to get sore in a very short 

 time. 



The placing of the bit in a horse's mouth is a 

 very important matter in influencing his manner 

 of going. Some horsemen say there is one proper 

 position for a bit in a horse's mouth and that it 

 should always be placed in that position. My ex- 

 perience is that this is best determined by experi- 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



