MOUTHING THE HORSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18631, 12 February 1924, Page 10

MOUTHING THE HORSE.

K is unfortunate thafc only very few horse breakers ljnow how to month a horse correctly. This is quite apparent in the numerous hard-mouthed, awkward animals one so frequently meets with. A veterinary specialist points out that in mouthing a horse it is a mistake to have the animal geared up too tightly, as this causes the mouth to become inflamed, and finally to break out in sores, which, wh'ja eventually healed, leave the parts callous, consequently hardening the mouth, and thus preventing the horae from yielding readily to the pressure of the bit. Such horses are dubbed hard-mouthed and intractable, and ,they are well described —they are animals completely spoiled in the process of mouthing. When driving, the best way to mouth a horse ie to have the reins moderately slack, just tight endugh to check the animal when he throws up his head. On no account allow the mouth to redden or to become sore, as that will destroy th« future tractability of the animal. When tbe mouthing gear is in the exact and correct position, take the horse out along the road for a walk, and afterwards leave him in a small paddock for a couple of days, removing the gear frequently to allow him to feed and drink. The next step' is to drive him in front of you on long reins, which are secured to the girth, roller, or stirrup irons (these latter, if used for this purpose, must be tied together under the animal). .. This system gives great command, and one can transmit the commands simultaneously with the pressure placed upon the lines.