250 



THE MOUTH-PIECE. 



ments of torture, cultivate vice, and create unsoundness. The names of 

 bits are legion, but they are constructed either on the principle of the snaffle 

 or the curb or a combination of both." — S. Sidney, "The Book of the 

 Horse,' p. 306. 



h 



FIC. 114. 



1 Eye for billet of headstall 



for curb hook. 



2 Upper arm of cheek. 



3 Mouth-piece. 



4 Canon. 



5 Port. 



6 Lower arm of cheek-piece. 



7 Lip-strap loop. 



8 Curb-rein ring. 



9 Slide for movable mouth-piece, 



and 



FIG. 114. 



THE MOUTH-PIECE. 



The mouth-piece varies in length between three and 

 three quarters and five inches. AUhough Major Francis 

 Dwyer, in " Seats and Saddles," places the limit at four and 

 a half inches, the writer has encountered horses that required 

 a mouth-piece measuring five inches. In all cases the length 

 should be determined by the width of the horse's mouth. 

 The cheek-pieces should fit snugly but without pressing 

 against the sides of the mouth ; about an eighth of an inch 

 play should be allowed between the lips and the cheek- 

 pieces. The thicker the mouth-piece the less severe will 

 its action be on the tongue, bars of the mouth and lips. The 

 principal forms in which mouth-pieces are made is shown 

 in Fig. 1 15. 



