STABLES AND STABLE MANAGEMENT 109 



and their elbows close to their sides, and their feet fiat 

 to the sides of their horses, they would never cause sore 

 backs. Unfortunately, as a rule, they have either 

 forgotten, or never learned to do this. We believe in 

 patent safety stirrups for ladies, as everything should 

 be done which can be done to avert an accident, or to 

 lessen the danger of one. 



The bridle should be as simple as is compatible with 

 strength, and be entirely free from superfluous orna- 

 ment. ISTothing looks worse than a coloured brow- 

 band. We have already stated that in buying a horse 

 it is advisable to discover what bit he has been ridden 

 in, for the number of bits is legion, and a man may 

 buy all the contents of a saddler's shop and then not 

 get the bit which is best suitable to the horse. As a 

 rule, the simpler the bit the better, and as the novice 

 will hardly be likely to buy a confirmed " puller " on 

 which to make his first essay in riding to hounds, we 

 advise him not to be tempted into buying fancy bits. 

 Our experience is that, in nine cases out of ten, they 

 are more apt to spoil a horse's mouth than improve it. 

 The simplest bits are : 



1. Snaffle. 



2. Double snaffle. 



3. Ordinary bit and bridoon. 



4. Pelham. 



If a horse won't go easily in one or other of these, 

 his owner had better get rid of him. Of these, the 

 snaffle is the lightest, but it is hardly safe to ride a 

 hot-blooded horse in one alone, though, undoubtedly, 



