SNAFFLES AND THE GAG. 267 



/ 



SNAFFLES.* 



THE DOUBLE-MOUTH SNAFFLE is formed by the use of an 

 additional mouth-piece with the plain snaffle. The sections 

 of these mouth-pieces are of corresponding unequal lengths, 

 the short section of one mouth-piece and the long section of 

 the other are placed over each other. By this arrangement 

 the efficiency of the bit is not minimized by being shifted 

 from one side to the other. It is an exceedingly severe bit 

 and should be used with the greatest care. 



THE CHAIN SNAFFLE differs from the plain ring snaffle in 

 that the mouth-piece is made of a series of links forming a 

 chain. These links are either oblong or of the curb-chain 

 pattern. In some designs two chains are used, one above 

 the other, for a mouth-piece, or metal balls are linked to- 

 gether. This bit can be used to advantage on horses that 

 are headstrong and have a tendency to " take hold." The 

 severity of the mouth-piece, when made of curb-chain links, 

 may be increased by untwisting some or all of the links which 

 under ordinary circumstances should lie flat. The harshness 

 of the bit may be tempered by covering the mouth-piece with 

 leather. 



THE GAG. 



The Gag snaffle is so constructed that 

 the round part of the reins passes through 

 a pair of eyes on either side of the bit and 

 is attached to the crown-piece of the bridle. 

 FIG. 142. When the reins are drawn taut, the bit 



is forced against the corners of the mouth. 



* For description of the simple forms of snaffles see under Driving Bits, pp. 257 and 

 258. 



