240 BRIDLES AND SADDLES. 



can, by its aid, " get more out " of a horse, and control 

 him better, than by means of any other bit ; while the 

 latter will do less harm, and will *' stick on " tighter, 

 while holding on to it, than he would do were he to use 

 any form of the curb. 



" When my friends have come to me concerning their 

 unmanageable horse, I invariably find the poor animal 

 has been overbitted, or wrongly bitted, and recommend 

 the easiest kind of bit, which, in nine cases out of ten, 

 succeeds " (Latchford). 



The curb is especially useful for horses that " sprawl 

 about " and require a good deal of " collecting," and, 

 also, when it is necessary to " pull a horse together," 

 when going through a heavy country, or when he is 

 tired after a long run ; for, from the peculiar action of 

 the curb, the animal will, with it, far more readily bend 

 his neck, and, consequently, arch his loins and get his 

 hind quarters under him, than he would do with the 

 snaffle. When the horse holds his head in a perpen- 

 dicular position, or when it is kept so by means of a 

 martingale, the pressure of the snaffle will act directly 

 on his bars (gums), and will, if strong enough, cause 

 him to arch his neck ; but if he be allowed to poke his 

 nose out, the pressure of the snaffle will be taken by 



