ng confirmed pullers, is in inability to take
sufficiently harsh measures which are needed for their control. I am
aware that there are animals, especially race-horses, which cannot be
held at all until they have gone a certain distance. The pace holds
them, but such headstrong animals tire themselves unnecessarily, and
generally have to "shut up" before the finish of a long distance race;
for the steady plodding horse will almost invariably prove the better
stayer of the two. In hunting, the pace will not always hold a horse,
because hounds may check at any moment, the start to a "holloa" may
prove a false alarm, and leaving out the uncertain behaviour of foxes, a
sudden stoppage may be caused by an impossible fence, river, railway, or
by a variety of causes which would amply prove the fallacy of the pace
holding a hard puller in the hunting field. As pulling horses are the
cause of frequent hunting accidents, I would specially caution my
readers against riding animals which they are not able to keep in hand.

If a lady is riding a good old hunter who insists on going his own pace,
she should interfere with him as little as possible, even in her desire
to steady him over bad ground and at his fences; because the large
majority of these animals have their own method of doing business, and
can be safely trusted to take care of themselves. If they are unduly
checked in galloping, they are apt to pull very hard, and greatly tire
their riders. I am, of course, alluding to good-tempered, well-made
hunters which go best with a rider who sits still on their backs and
trusts to their experience and honour.

Concerning the best kind of bridle in which to hold a puller, I cannot
do better than quote the following remarks from my husband's book,
_Riding and Hunting_:--"As regards the bitting of a puller, I would
advise that with a double bridle the curb should be put low down in the
mouth.... In all cases an unjointed snaffle is much the best form of
bit. With a double bridle we have a choice between the two. We should
bear in mind that the action of a curb is peculiarly liable to produce
insensibility of the mouth on account of its pressure being distributed
almost completely round the lower jaw, while that of the snaffle falls
only on the upper surface of the jaw. Even the jointed snaffle and the
chain snaffle leave the under surface of the jaw free from pressure, and
consequently interfere comparatively little with the circulat