2o6 BRIDLES AND SADDLES. 



Inches. 



Width of port \\ 



Length of upper arm of cheek, measured from 



lower part of mouthpiece to ring , . . . i^ 



Length of lower arm of cheek, about . . . . 4I 



Keeping in view the principle that the ciirbchain 

 should on no account hurt the horse's chin, we should 

 select one which will lie flat and smooth, in preference 

 to one with large and few links. The chain may be 

 covered with leather, or there may be a leather strap 

 placed between it and the horse's jaw. Instead of a 

 curbchain, a flat piece of bridle leather, furnished with a 

 few links at each end, may be used. " It is very clear 

 that the narrower the chain is made, the more likely is 

 it to cause pain, which is just what we want to avoid, 

 and we should therefore endeavour to make it as broad 

 as possible. The vulgar notion of a sharp curb, is, as 

 the reader perceives, a monstrous absurdity" [Major 

 Dwyer). The curbchain should not be too broad, for it 

 would, then, be liable to hurt the sharp edges of the 

 branches of the lower jaw. 



The curb bit which has a sliding mouthpiece (see 

 Fig. 27) appears to me to be wrong in principle, for, if 

 placed so as to have a right position when the reins are 

 drawn tight, the mouthpiece will knock against the tushes 



