14 ANGLO-FRENCH HORSEMANSHIP 



curb chain so loose that when the reins are slack it slips 

 over the chin ; to prevent this, fasten one end of an 

 ordinary lip strap to the throat lash, and the other 

 end to the centre drop link of the curb, the strap being 

 of such a length that when the reins are tight, the curb 

 lies nicely in the chin groove. We should obtain the 

 desirable effect from the bit, by having the curb chain 

 just sufficiently tight to bring the branches of the bit 

 to an angle of 45 degrees with the lower jaw when the 

 reins are tight. The lighter the mouth the higher 

 should the bit be placed ; the greater the resistance 

 the lower it should be placed. 



Baucher, who worked entirely in the school, lays 

 it down as a principle that there is no such thing as a 

 difference of sensibility in the mouths of horses ; he 

 maintains that they all present the same lightness when 

 the horse is properly balanced, and the same resistance 

 wiien he quits this important position. He adds that 

 there are horses heavy in hand, but this resistance 

 arises from the undue length of back or weakness of the 

 loins, from narrow quarters, want of second thighs, 

 straight hocks, or from the quarters being higher or 

 lower than the withers ; these are the real causes of 

 resistance. The stiffening of the neck or jaw is the 

 horse's way of insisting on licence to carry his head in 

 the position which best relieves his weak parts of work 

 and weight, and reformation can only be obtained by 

 the strengthening of these weak parts by carefully 

 graduated exercises. 



Construction and Placing of the Bit. — To secure the 

 necessary leverage, the upper arms of the bit, from the 

 centre of the mouthpiece to the point from which the 

 curb hooks hang, should be from If to 1| inches, 

 according to the depth of the horse's jaw at the chin 



