IMPROVING ACTION 83 



with a dumb jockey on. In such it is of much 

 benefit to use a bearing-rein attachment to keep 

 their heads in proper position. The benefit from 

 a dumb jockey used in a stable is enhanced by 

 using it when a horse is in motion. Some horses 

 will bend when standing that will not do so when 

 moving, and so have to be trained to it. Benefi- 

 cial as a dumb jockey may be, a rider with good 

 hands, that can use his legs on the horse's sides, 

 urging him by degrees into proper position with 

 hind legs well under him, and head up and nose 

 in, can accomplish more, as he can humor the 

 horse at will. Next to riding, driving in single 

 harness is best, as it is hardly possible to humor 

 a horse's mouth as well in double as in single har- 

 ness. The tendency with most trainers is to hurry 

 matters too much. Urging a horse into the bit 

 too soon causes him to fuss with his mouth and 

 is apt to make him fight the bit. The successful 

 trainer needs a lot of patience and perseverance. 

 If, in the process of bitting, the mouth by ac- 

 cident gets sore, rest it by keeping the bit out of 

 it until it is better. This can be accomplished 

 in the country or in a small town, without keep- 

 ing a horse altogether out of work, by putting 

 on the cavesson and dumb jockey and having the 

 reins tightly buckled to the cavesson and led 

 alongside of another horse in this way or lunged. 

 It is a bad plan to let a horse that is in the pro- 



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