184 BITS AND BITTING. 



afraid of, because it affords little or nothing to hold on 

 by. If your judgment were only equal to your pluck, 

 you would soon become independent of these hybrid 

 instruments that pretend to combine the action of 

 snaffle and bit, and, like most other makeshifts, answer 

 neither purpose perfectly and reliably. 



We do not, however, mean to say that a Pelham 

 should never be used ; as a matter of fancy, fashion, 

 or old habit, many a good rider will cling to it ; but 

 then its dimensions should be as carefully adjusted 

 to those of the horse's mouth, and, moreover, to the 

 other peculiarities of the individual animal's build and 

 temper, as we have shown to be necessary with the 

 unjointed bit : and this brings us to another form of 

 jointed bit that used, as already mentioned, in the 

 Prussian light cavalry (No. S, fig. 13). 



The'se are very similar to a straight-barred bit with 

 moderate tongue-freedom, but with a snaffle -joint at 

 the top of the port ; and their dimensions being in 

 accordance with the size and character of the horses, 

 there is nothing irregular in their action, especially as- 

 care is taken to put them into the proper part of the 

 horse's mouth. We consider the unjointed bit to be a 

 better and more perfect instrument, especially in the 

 hands of a good rider ; but we must not overlook the 

 fact, that the time of service in the Prussian cavalry 

 being restricted to three years, and, in consequence of 

 the system of recruiting, a considerable number of 

 men being brought into the ranks who have no pre- 

 vious habits of horsemanship, there may be reasons 

 for adopting this jointed bit quite independent of its 

 relative merit. 



We would recommend those who, for hunting or 



