THE LEVEE, THE BIT AND CUEB, ETC. 195 



it must be moved only just so much higher as is abso- 

 lutely necessary to clear the obstacle. The curb may 

 be then hooked in, first, of course, at the off side, leav- 

 ing one reserve link, then at the near side, leaving two 

 such, and taking care that it lies quite flat in the chin- 

 gTOOve, without any even the slightest tendency to 

 mount upwards when the reins are drawn. The curb 

 should never be quite tight ; there should always be 

 room for the first and second fingers of the right hand 

 to pass flat between it and the chin ; and by gently 

 pulling the reins with the left hand whilst the two 

 fingers of the right are in this position, it will be easy 

 to ascertain whether any pinching action occurs, in 

 which case there is sure to be something wrong. 



As to the measure of the proper length of the curb, 

 we have already stated it generally, but each indi 

 vidual case will require a separate adjustment, and if 

 the links be either very large or very small, it will 

 sometimes occur that the difi'erence of one of these will 

 make the curb either too tight or too loose ; we must 

 then, of course, try another curb. If the bit is rigid 

 or stands stiff on the reins being drawn gently, the 

 curb will be too short ; and on the pressure being in- 

 creased, the horse will almost certainly either turn his 

 mouth askew to avoid the griping action of the mouth- 

 piece, or bear back suddenly to escape it altogether : 

 we therefore give him another link, and drawing the 

 reins gently as before, wo observe whether, after the 

 lower bar has moved through an angle of about eight 

 degrees — bringing the mouthpiece just to meet, as it 

 were, the interior of the mouth — the horse gives his 

 head gently and gradually in the direction of your 

 hand as it increases the pressure, without either pok- 



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