DESCRIPTION OF BITS. 137 



it is required to stop your horse suddenly, to moderate 

 bis speed when he is pulling too hard, or when he is 

 tired or lazy to collect him, by drawing his nose down 

 and his hind-legs more under him, for that is the first 

 effect of taking hold of the curb-rein. There are many 

 horses with good mouths, so far that they can be 

 stopped easily with a plain snaffle, and yet require a 



PLAIN SNAFFLE. 



curb-bit, to make them carry then* heads in the right 

 place, and this they often seem to do from the mere 

 hint of the curb-chain dangling against their chins, 

 without the rider being obliged to pull at the reins 

 with any perceptible force. 



The Pelham-bit (see cut), which is a sort of snaffle-bit 

 with cheeks and a curb-chain, is a convenient style for 

 this class of horse. A powerful variation of the Pelham, 

 called the Hanoverian, has within the last few years 

 come very much into use. It requires the light hands 

 of a practised horseman to use the curb-reins of the 

 Hanoverian on a delicate-mouthed horse; but when pro- 

 perly used no bit makes a horse bend and display 



