74 BITS AND BRIDLE GEAR. 



Apart from the disadvantage of the bars of the mouth 

 being relieved from pressure when the horse unduly elevates 

 his head, we have the further important objection that the 

 internal surfaces of the animal's cheeks, immediately behind 

 the corners of the mouth, are apt to get forced by the snaffle 

 especially if it be a jointed one against the sharp edges of 

 the back teeth (Fig. 27), and consequently to become more or 

 less lacerated. The pain thus inflicted is often the cause of 

 horses getting violent when ridden, and of pulling, in order 

 to escape from the torture they are enduring. Liability to 

 such injury is naturally increased, when, as sometimes happens, 

 the edges of the back teeth are abnormally sharp. In such 

 cases, the remedy often suggested is to file down the edges of 

 the front molars. A more rational means of prevention would 

 be the use of a standing martingale, arranged so as to make 

 it impossible for the horse to raise his head high enough to 

 get the mouth- piece off the bars of the mouth. Besides, 

 filing the molars is apt to injuriously interfere with the correct 

 adjustment of the grinding surfaces of these teeth, and should 

 not be attempted, except by an experienced veterinary 

 surgeon. 



Laceration of the internal surface of the cheeks of a horse is 

 specially liable to occur in turning the animal, by pulling the 

 inward rein and at the same time loosening the outward one, 

 in which case the mouth-piece will be more or less drawn 

 through the mouth. Under these circumstances, if the snaffle 

 has no cheeks, the outward ring, while the turn is being made, 

 will press the inside of the cheek against the molars, with the 

 probable result of pain and tearing of the mucous membrane. 

 To guard against this untoward accident, it is well to have a 

 snaffle with cheeks, the outward one of which will bear on 

 both jaws, when the horse is being turned, and will not force 

 the horse's cheek against the teeth, as a ring would do. This 

 useful action of the cheek of a snaffle will be greatly aided 



