SNAFFLES. 189 



high port pressing against his palate, he may be cowed 

 into submission, but he will not catch hold of his bit. 

 We shall now consider the construction and adjustment 

 of bits which horses will go up to. We need not 

 trouble ourselves by trying to devise any special means 

 of restraint for pullers, for the ordinary snaffle or curb, 

 properly made and properly put on, is sufficient to control 

 almost any horse, provided a good rider has hold of 

 the reins. Although a fine horseman may be able to 

 steer his mount in fair form with a severe bit, the 

 inexperienced rider will fare infinitely worse with it, on 

 a difficult horse, than he would do were the bit an easy 

 one to the animal's mouth. 



Snaffles. 



The action of the snaffle is to restrain the horse 

 by pressure on his tongue, bars of his mouth (the 

 part of his gums which are bare of teeth between the 

 tushes and grinders), and the corners of his mouth. 

 Ovv^ing to the snaffle being jointed, the tongue receives 

 but little pressure. When the horse carries his head in 

 a more or less perpendicular manner, the bars off*er the 

 chief resistance ; but when he extends his head, whether 

 he ra'ses or lowers it, the pressure falls on the corners of 



