THE USE OF BURRS 127 



self." Under such circumstanGes, if he is a free 

 horse, he will go up firmly against the bit, and 

 may bruise or injure his mouth in some way, pro- 

 ducing soreness and irritability of the gums where 

 the bit presses. This causes him to pull more, and 

 some horses brace themselves against the cheek- 

 piece of the bit, which enables them to pull to 

 an extent most trying to the driver, and most 

 wearing to themselves. The farther they go the 

 more they pull and the more excited, fretful and 

 heated they become. The constant repetition of 

 this causes them to get "run down" in condition, 

 and the unnecessarily violent exertion they make 

 in performing their work is very hard on their 

 legs and feet. 



If by the simple expedient of using a burr on 

 a puller's bit, this habit of pulling can be les- 

 sened, and practically overcome in some cases, 

 is it not justifiable to take the risk of subjecting 

 a horse's lips to a few pricks Avith bristles in order 

 to attain such desirable results ? A fretful puller 

 suffers infinitely more, by the over-exertion to 

 which he subjects himself, and by working him- 

 self up into an excited and heated state, than by 

 the use of burrs. 



As for the driver, it becomes absolutely pain- 

 ful to him to drive a side-lining puller, and it is 

 not without danger, especiallj'^ where there is 

 crowded traffic, as in cities, on account of the dif- 



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