BRIDLES. 285 
go well in a snaffle on smooth turf or light arable land where there are no 
ridges, but when they come to deep ground or high ridges, or when it is 
necessary to jump into an orchard or plantation, a means of holding the 
horse well together is required in the former case, while in the latter, if 
it is not possessed, a dangerous or fatal blow may easily be received before 
the horse can be stopped after coming down from his leap. In defining 
the snaffle, it may be described as consisting of a ring on each side the 
mouth to which the rein is attached, connected together by one or two 
mouthpieces, which may be variously jointed in the middle, or may be 
without any break, which last is not always called a snaffle, but bears the 
name of a straight bit. Thus it is subdivided into the following :— 
. The plain snaffle. 
. The twisted snaffle. 
The snaffle with double mouthpiece. 
The chain snaffle. 
The double-jointed snafile. 
. The double ring snaffle. 
. The gag snafile. 
. The unjointed snaffle. 
1. The plain snaffle is the most simple form of all, with the exception 
ef the straight bit, consisting merely of the two rings with the mouth- 
piece of smooth steel, jomted in the middle. The rings, when the bit is 
to be used alone, are generally guarded from slipping through the mouth 
by light bars projecting up and down. This bit is made of all sizes in 
point of substance, from the very light racing snaffle no larger than a 
goose quill to the heavy breaker’s bit in which the mouthpiece is as large 
asaman’s thumb. The size of this part should be proportioned to the 
delicacy of the horse’s mouth, which can only be judged of by an actual 
trial; but the proper substance of metal may generally, though not always, 
be ascertained by putting one in the mouth and pressing upon the jaw, 
when, if it produces such an effect as to cause the horse to back readily, 
it will in most cases be sufficiently severe. There are, however, some 
tempers which do not show themselves until they are excited, and in 
those animals possessing such as these a bit which will act in a stable- 
yard is perfectly useless in company. 
2. The twisted snaffle differs only from the preceding in the mouthpiece, 
each of the two halves being made square instead of round, and twisted 
more or less on themselves, so as to present sharp edges to the mouth, 
and thus produce more pain on pressure. This effect is not fully developed 
by a steady pull; but when the snafile is sawed from side to side, as is 
sometimes necessary before a pulling horse can be stopped, the sharp 
twisted edges act severely upon the delicate membrane covering the jaw 
and lips, and as the horse gets his head into the air to take the pressure 
off the most sensitive part, he is almost compelled to pull up by being 
thrown out of his stride. For this reason some high-couraged animals 
will go better in a smooth snaffle than in a twisted one, the latter madden- 
ing them by the pain which it occasions; but with the ordinary run of 
horses a moderate twist properly used is not objectionable, and the smooth 
mouthpiece is scarcely sufficient. 
3. The snaffle with double mouthpiece is made with two mouthpieces 
attached in the usual way, but one above the other, to the ring. The 
joints in the middle are, however, not opposite each other, and thus when 
the reins are pulled the jaw is embraced in a narrower vice than in the 
single snatile, It is, however, very apt to cause the mouth to be opened 
COI DOP Cobo 
