To Educate a Tender-Mouthed Horse to Pull on the Bit
Many horses are very sensitive to a hurt in any part of the body, so much so that they often grow frantic when severely punished, and it seems to be the delight of some persons to inflict injury to a horse of this temperament, sometimes with a view to make him rear or prance about, believing it adds to the appearance of the animal, when the contrary is the fact; a bad habit is almost sure to grow out of such treatment, and then it may take some time to eradicate it. One of the evils often presented is that the animal becomes tender-mouthed, and I have known many cases where balking has been the result. Let me urge the reader never to jerk sharply on the bit, except when educating or correcting a habit, as heretofore directed.
The only effectual method of treatment for a tender mouth is to use a large straight bit, leave the check-rein quite loose, and drop the bit low down in the mouth, as seen in engraving, which will slip up and down and harden the mouth in a short time.