110 HUNTING 



it is the best bridle for a temperate horse, as it neither 

 fidgets him nor hurts his mouth. The double snaffle is 

 simply two snaffles with a single rein attached to each. 

 This bridle is of great advantage to the young rider 

 in cases where the single snaffle is not sufficient, for it 

 takes long experience before one learns how to use a 

 curb properly, and the novice may feel thankful if the 

 experience is not gained at the cost of many falls, for 

 the injudicious use of the curb while jumping is very 

 apt to cause a horse to make a mistake. The ordinary 

 bit and bridoon consists of a steel mouthpiece, with an 

 arch, called the " port," rising up in the centre, and the 

 higher the " port," the more severe is the bit. At each 

 end of the mouthpiece are welded on the shanks or 

 cheeks, to the upper ends of whicli are sewn the head- 

 piece, and to rings in the lowxr ends are fastened the 

 reins, while on the upper ends are hooks for the curb- 

 chain, which can be tightened or loosened, according 

 to the temperament of the horse. The Pelham has 

 the mouthpiece of an ordinary snaffle instead of the 

 fixed bar with " port " of the bit, and the shanks 

 with curb-chain of the bit. Thus it is lighter than 

 the ordinary bit, and more powerful than a snaffle 

 or a double snaffle, owing to the curb - chain. 

 Where curb-chains are used a curb-save and a lip- 

 strap should also be used ; the former prevents the 

 links of the chain cutting the horse's jaw, and the 

 latter prevents a horse tossing the bit up over his 

 nose. 



It will be seen that the action of the four bits above 

 described is simple. Most of the fancy bits are com- 

 binations of the above, contrived for horses possessing 



