284 THE HORSE. 
holes, which all show a bottom, whereas the real skin is perforated to a 
depth beyond the reach of the eye. Consequently, instead of a cul de sae, 
there is a fine valvular opening visible. 
THE GIRTHS of ordinary saddles are still made in pairs, and buckled 
up to two straps fixed on each side to the tree; but for hunting a new 
plan has lately been introduced, which is perhaps an improvement ; at all 
events, it is considered so in the grass countries. This is the Fitzwilliam 
girth, double the width of the ordinary one, and somewhat stouter in its 
web. It has two buckles at each end, which are fastened to the usual 
straps ; but in addition a narrow girth is provided, lying outside in loops 
stitched to the broad girth, and keeping it in its place if by any chance 
both the buckles should break. The Fitzwilliam girth is alone depended 
on for fixing the saddle, and the narrow one is merely intended to keep 
it from dangling, and the saddle from actually falling off if the former 
should burst, either in its webbing or at the buckles or straps. 
THE BREASTPLATE is provided for hunting saddles in order to avoid 
tight girthing, which interferes sadly with a horse’s wind by confining 
the ribs, and thus preventing a full dilatation of the chest. Besides this, 
many horses have a way of blowing themselves out while the groom is 
girthing them up, and if they start with their saddles firmly on, they 
soon have them so loose as to be dangerous in going up hill. Very many 
well-bred horses when fit to go are so light in their back ribs that their 
saddles easily slip back if not kept in their places by their breastplates, 
and hence the general adoption of the latter in the hunting-field. 
BRIDLES. 
THERE IS AN ALMOST INFINITE VARIETY in the make of bits, but nearly 
all may be reduced to three leading principles—namely, the snaffle, the 
curb, and the combination of the two in one bit, asin the Pelham, whether 
of the ordinary or Hanoverian kinds. The double-reined bridle may 
either be fitted with a snaffle and curb, or with a Pelham. 
AMONG THE VARIOUS KINDS OF SNAFFLES, with the exception of the gag, 
which I shall presently describe, all are intended to bear chiefly on the 
jaw, slightly relieved by the angles of the mouth. When, however, the 
jaws are so narrow that they cannot be bent on the neck, or when the 
rider’s hands are carried so high that the line of the reins is across the 
angles, these latter parts take all the bearing, and the horse yaws about 
with his mouth wide open. Without good hands the tendency of the 
snaffle is always to get the head up with the nose out, and with them this 
bit never offers any obstacle to the straight carriage of the neck which is 
wanted to admit of free respiration at high speed. Hence the snaffle is 
universally employed in racing and hunting, for even when a Pelham is 
used, the one rein acts upon the bit exactly as in the common snaffle 
The difference between this and the curb consists in the fact that the 
former can rarely be made to interfere with a horse’s action either in the 
gallop or the leap, while the latter should never be employed at a fast 
pace except to keep the animal from over-tasking himself, since it always 
has a tendency to bend the neck too much for the development of high 
speed or jumping power. Hence the snaffle may with many sober horses 
be used alone, but as a rule the curb should never be so employed. In 
the hunting-field no one who is pt possessed of great strength of arm 
should trust any but a horse whose sobriety of temper is well known, 
without a double-reined bridle. It is true that there are many which will 
