198 BITS AND BITTING. 



BITS FOR HARNESS. 



The same rules are applicable to bits to be used with 

 harness as to those used for saddle-horses. There can- 

 not possibly exist any reason for adopting a different 

 principle than that of making the bit, of whatever kind 

 or pattern it may be, to fit exactly the horse's mouth ; 

 and moreover, it should be carefully adjusted to that 

 part of the mouth already pointed out. No doubt 

 somewhat larger-sized bits will be sometimes required, 

 because carriage-horses are frequently larger, and per- 

 haps, too, coarser, in some respects than saddle-horses ; 

 but this can never justify the use of the enormous bits 

 that are commonly used. We should doubt very much 

 whether 5 per cent of the horses used in harness in 

 these islands really require bits with cheeks of greater 

 dimensions than those shown in fig. 13, p. 172; that is 

 to say. If inch for the upper, and 3 J inches for the 

 lower part of the cheek, or in all 5 J inches ; and we 

 have very little doubt but that at least 90 per cent, of 

 such horses have bits in their mouths that exceed con- 

 siderably these dimensions — some more, some less ; not 

 to speak of the 25 per cent that are tortured with 

 mouthpieces too wide for, or otherwise unsuited to their 

 mouths, and curb-chains that act altogether on the 

 sensitive part of the jawbone. 



Fortunately the use of ring-snaffles is becoming more 

 general, and this will in the end lead to lighter bitting. 

 In light draught, and especially where the horses are to 

 be used occasionally under the saddle, a very light Pel- 

 ham with cheeks not exceeding 5 inches will be found 

 useful. The cheek may be shaped into any fashion 



