88 KIDING AND TRAIiq^IKG SADDLE-HORSES. 



chain will draw on the line g to e, drawing, almost exactly, 

 at right angles to the jawbone at the chin-groove, bring- 

 ing the chain flat against it, creating the least possible 

 amount of pain there, and affording a firm fulcrum, from 

 which force may be directly applied to the bars at the 

 mouth. 



The length of the lower levers need not be made so 

 exactly according to rule. The longer they are, the more 

 effect will be produced with a given amount of force ap- 

 plied to the reins. Perhaps a safe rule would be to make 

 them twice as long as the upper arms of the levers. This 

 is enough for the control of the worst cases, and more 

 than this, as is usual, increases the difficulty of light 

 handling. The construction of that part of the bit which 

 lies in the horse's mouth, connecting the two side levers, 

 is important. Its length should be just such as to allow 

 the levers, which should be turned out a little at the top 

 to make room for the leathers, to play freely over the 

 sides of the face without chafing. The bit should not 

 be too long, nor should the upper ends of the levers be 

 too much turned out lest the chain be straightened out, 

 and caused to rest only against the bones of the jaw ; 

 whereas it ought to follow closely around, touching the 

 skin for at least three inches of its course. Curb-chains 

 are made flat, so that when twisted into shape, they lie 

 almost as smooth as a band of leather against the chin. 

 The larger they are, and the larger the wire of which 

 they are made, the easier and better they will be. They 

 are attached by spring-hooks to the eyes of the upper 

 ends of the levers. The mouth-piece of the bit should 

 also be of generous size in those parts that lie against the 



