IMPROVING ACTION
BITTING, SHOEING AND CONDITIONING FOR ACTION—II
In my last article on this subject I drew attention to the fact that bitting, or “making the mouth,” is by far the most important matter to attend to in contributing to action. You must get the head up and the nose in, and cultivate a responsive mouth, so that when a horse is urged and restrained, he will step up instead of stepping on. It was urged that care should be used against getting horses into bad habits in connection with the mouth in the process of bitting, such as getting the tongue over the bit, retracting the tongue, side-lining, going with the mouth open, tossing the head, carrying the head unsteadily, and so forth. If some of these habits are developed, they will tend to neutralize any beneficial efforts that have been made in the cultivation of the mouth.
An easy bit should first be used, such as a straight-barred ringed one or a snaffle, so that the colt will face it firmly and carry a steady head. In the development of speed, it is also imperative to use an easy bit, but for the production of style and action, a curb bit is almost indispensable for the majority of horses. The inexperienced ones are apt to think that a curb bit is an instrument of torture. The ignorant, thoughtless and rough handler of horses can easily make it so, but if it is properly used it is really more humane for use in many mouths, than a less severe one. The curb bit gives very much increased leverage, and will make some horses bend that cannot be made to do so without it. As soon as they bend, it requires very little force to keep their noses in, and very little pressure need be exerted, so that there is no injury nor irritation resulting. In addition to this, the pressure is divided between the interior and exterior of the mouth, the curb chain exerting its share of the pressure just behind the lower lip.
Some free, courageous horses, especially if short of work, will pull to a most uncomfortable extent, both to themselves and their drivers, if driven with a snaffle bit. The same horses, if used with curbs, will go without taking hold, and with the exertion on the part of their drivers of very slight restraining force. The perfect handling of a horse with a curb bit is a very fine art, by which are produced the perfection of carriage and the maximum of style and action. To realize fully what the perfect handling of a curb bit means in promoting style and action, one has only to observe a horse skilfully handled with one, especially if he has a good mouth. The dexterous rider or driver brings out all the responsiveness there is in the horse without causing him to fight, while the unskilful handler allows a horse to carry himself imperfectly and gets him off his balance, thereby lessening his gracefulness, style and action. The change from a snaffle to a curb bit should be made carefully and discreetly, as it takes a horse some time to get used to the change. We have good opportunities in the city of observing the ill-effects of the abrupt change. A dealer gets in from the country a horse that is possibly well broken, but has never had a curb bit in his mouth. He hitches the horse, puts a curb bit in his mouth, and “pulls him together,” as it is expressed; that is, he urges him with the whip and restrains him to get all the style and action he can out of him. He is very much encouraged to see his new purchase make such a good showing. The next day he puts the horse in harness, but finds that he does not go so well, showing irritability in connection with his mouth. The horse may hold his head sideways, open his mouth more or less, put his tongue over the bit, toss his head or carry it unsteadily, pull, hitch, go off his feet, or interfere. He may display any one or a combination of these faults, showing that he is uncomfortable and out of balance.
Why this quick alteration in the manner of going between the first and second hitching? It is simply due to the fact that the delicate tissues of the mouth have become bruised or abraded from the rough handling of a bit with powerful leverage. The horse’s mouth is sore, and he cannot face the bit without showing irritability, which he manifests in the ways described. The curb bit feels different in his mouth, the pressure on the tongue is greater, and if the curb chain is tightened and reins buckled to the bit, so as to give much leverage, many horses will chafe under the newly experienced increased restraint, and will pull, thereby greatly increasing the injury to the mouth. If this is repeated, the mouth is spoiled and bad habits produced.
In getting a horse accustomed to the curb bit, it is a good plan to let him stand with it in his mouth in the stable for a few hours a day. This gets him used to the shape and size of the new bit, after which pressure can by degrees be brought to bear on it. Some trainers are opposed to the use of a dumb jockey. Of course, the mouth cannot be perfected by the use of this device alone, but it is a very useful auxiliary to other measures. The dumb jockey is a rubber contrivance attached to a girth and crupper and with elastic reins to buckle to the bit. The prejudice against it is largely the result of the irrational manner in which it is used. In the majority of instances the reins are buckled too tightly at first, causing too much pressure on the mouth, and forcing the head and neck into an unnaturally constrained position. This, instead of cultivating responsiveness of the mouth, causes irritation of that organ, gets a horse into fussy habits, and makes him lie on the bit, doing more harm than good. One not infrequently sees a horse standing in a stall with a dumb jockey on him, his mouth partly open, his tongue over the bit, and boring down on it, and sweating profusely from the discomfort he is suffering. A dumb jockey used in this way is worse than useless. One of the objects of using a jockey is to get the nose in, and from the manner in which it is used by many it is evident that they seek to accomplish this by sheer mechanical force, forgetting that they are training nerves and muscles to responsiveness, which can only be done by degrees.
As soon as a horse shows evidence of discomfort, loosen the reins and tighten them gradually again. If the subject draws his tongue up in his mouth, or puts it over the bit, raise the bit in his mouth. Some horses get their heads too low 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. Beneficial 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 harness. 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 accident 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 keeping 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 process of bitting or breaking get too fresh, as he is apt to reinjure his mouth when he is put in harness again.
Curb bits for driving are so made that different degrees of leverage can be exerted. It can be laid down as a rule that it is not wise to use anymore leverage than is essential, otherwise the mouth is apt to become sore and carried unsteadily.
There is some diversity of opinion as to the wisdom of using bearing reins. Some people, particularly the inexperienced, are very much opposed to their use. Occasionally one finds a horse—much more rarely a pair—that carries himself so well—head up, nose in and head steady—that a bearing rein is superfluous. The majority of horses, however, carry themselves better, drive more comfortably, and are really more comfortable themselves when driven with bearing reins. They can, of course, be made instruments of torture, if used too tightly buckled up and for too long periods at a time, but most horses will not only carry their heads too low, but bore, pull and “duck” if not “borne up.” The low carriage of the head is not only unsightly in a carriage horse, but causes too much weight to be thrown on the forelegs for their welfare. The French check is very much better than the pulley bridoon. The bearing rein should not be used so tightly that a horse cannot bend his head upon his neck, if he is capable of doing so. The bearing reins should seldom, if ever, be used on the driving bit; if it is at all tight, it pulls the bit too high in the mouth, causing a horse to bore and usually to bruise the bars severely immediately in front of the grinders. A jointed bit should be used in the mouth in addition to the driving bit and the bearing rein buckled to it.
So far we have been referring to bitting only as having a contributing influence in increasing the forward or knee action; but it has also a marked effect in improving the hock action. It is remarkable how much the hock action can be increased by cultivating a responsive mouth, dropping the nose into its proper position, or, in other words, balancing a horse.
Before we leave the subject of the mouth and bitting altogether, we must refer to condition as an important factor in contributing to action. Before a horse can be made to show all the action there is in him, he must be toned up to the highest pitch. He must be full of nervous energy, and his muscles thoroughly developed. He must not only feel like doing it, but must also have the power. It takes time to bring this about. The cultivation of the mouth and the toning up of the system should proceed together, but never let the toning up get ahead of the education of the mouth. It is better not to have a horse feeling too well while you are cultivating his mouth, for, if his spirits are too exuberant, he will not learn so fast, and is apt to fight and increase his chances of developing bad habits. In cases in which action contributes to a horse’s value, he must also look well. Without being too gross, he should be in full flesh; it should be well put on, and there is nothing like a lot of slow work for this. From an hour to two hours’ walking exercise every day will make the flesh look solid and give a finish which a horse merely fattened up without work never shows. Slow work, if a horse gets a sufficiency of good feed and proper grooming, will not prevent the accumulation of flesh as fast work does, and it keeps the manners of the individual good. The development of speed in trotting-bred horses is a slow process with many of them. It takes several years in some individuals to bring it to its zenith. This is in a measure also true of action, if we look to perfecting it. A good deal can be accomplished in a couple of months with some horses, but much more can be attained in two years. We have examples of horses well known in the show rings of this country to-day that have gone on improving in brilliance of style and action for years. Bitting and conditioning are the chief contributing factors.
The practical man who is conditioning and developing horses’ action, for sale, is limited as to time. He cannot afford to spend it and he has to be guided too much by circumstances, but the principle of development is the same, whether for the market or show ring. A great deal is said about shoeing in contributing to action, and it is a point that should be studied and carefully attended to, but it is decidedly secondary in importance to either bitting or conditioning. Some years ago a great deal of weight was used in shoeing show and sale horses. You would frequently see a horse weighing from 1,000 to 1,100 pounds carrying on each forefoot from one pound and a half to two pounds weight, and even more. This answers for some purposes and before some judges, but if an owner wishes to sell or show a horse on his merits, it does not do. A lot of weight on a horse’s feet will make him show more action for a short time, particularly if shown in hand and if he is feeling fresh and well. If, however, he is called upon to exert himself for any length of time, especially if the going is heavy, and if he has to draw any weight, he will soon begin to labor, pound the ground, very likely forge, and the character of his action will be destroyed. With a good judge, the character of the action is of more importance than the amount of it, and he would not look a second time at a horse that labors and pounds, no matter how high he goes. One has to be guided by the individual, and the object in view in determining the amount of weight to put in a horse’s shoes, in order to get the best results in the way of action. From 16 to 22 ounces is usually sufficient, but there are horses for which a little less or a little more may be carried with advantage for sale or show purposes.
In addition to carrying a moderate amount of weight, the hoofs should be allowed to grow to a fair length. Length of toe causes a horse to exert increased effort in raising and extending the forelegs; so the tendency is to increase the action. Defects of action can in a measure be corrected by modifying the shoes and form of the hoof. For instance, some horses extend too much and do not fold or bend their knees sufficiently, but what is called “point,” and are apt to go on their heels, or come down heel first, instead of planting the foot squarely, heel and toe at the same time. For this defect, have the toes fairly short, lighten the web of the shoe at the toe, and increase its weight gradually towards the heel. With a horse that folds too much and does not extend sufficiently, put the weight towards the toe and lighten the heel. In a horse that “dishes” or “winds out,” the heavy portion of the web should be in the inside branch; while in a horse that “winds in,” just the opposite should be done.
In carrying out these modifications, they must be done so as not to interfere with the level of the foot. If a horse does not tread level, ill-results, in the shape of lameness or wear and tear of the leg and foot, are likely to follow.