78 
REVIEW. 
position* never goes so freely and pleasantly to himself, as 
with a snaffle bridle ; but it is to teach the horse how to 
carry himself, that the curb is in many cases of great utility.” 
On the subject of “ bits ” a great deal is to be said. Owing 
to faulty make, faulty mouths, and faulty legs, it rarely 
happens that we meet with what horsemen understand by 
“ a snaffle bridle horse.” When we do, he is indeed a treasure 
to his master. Defect in one of these respects it is which 
accounts for the so general use of curb-bits ; they render 
heavy heads comparatively light in hand ; make hard mouths 
comparatively soft; and keep horses up when they have 
hardly fore legs to carry them safely along. 
“A really good hack is a creature difficult to procure. 
Not that there is a great scarcity of the 6 raw material,* but, 
unfortunately, it is only the raw material that can, in many 
instances, be obtained ; this arises principally from want of 
care in breaking. It is presumptuous in people to suppose, 
and subjects them to ridicule when they assert, that they can 
complete the education of a colt as well in three weeks as in 
three years ; but there may be some few who do not appre- 
ciate a nicely-trained hack, and it is a great pity when such 
an animal happens to get into their possession. In my 
juvenile days I was forcibly struck with the prevailing fact, 
that hacks, when sold in consequence of imperative events, 
out of the studs of noblemen and others of wealth, realised 
such great prices, while equally good-looking animals at fairs, 
or in the possession of persons of less note, were purchasable 
at very reduced figures ; but the cause may be readily ex- 
plained. Those who have the means, only purchase such 
horses as are thoroughly educated, or they employ men of 
experience to break, and cultivate the accomplishments of 
the horses which they either breed or buy. Of course they 
only select those of goodly appearance, with superior action ; 
and no one need despair of making them agreeable to ride, 
if they will unite patience with discretion. Such animals 
will always realise a good price; but it requires time to 
render them perfect. To suppose that a horse can be edu- 
cated, so as to carry his rider with comfort and pleasure, in 
three weeks, or even three months, is ridiculous. An animal 
may be ridden in a very few days after he is taken in hand ; but 
it is not assumed that a gentleman will undertake the duties 
of a rough rider, and until horses are quite tractable, handy, 
and accomplished, they are not marketable at high prices.” 
