io6 THE HORSE 



A horse with a good head and fine eye always looks 

 better in an open bridle than with blinders; and if he 

 is an intelligent horse is usually safer than if he wore 

 them. Another reason for accustoming every horse 

 to the use of an open bridle, whether you intend to 

 make that use habitual or not, is this — almost any 

 horse that is driven much, especially in the country, is 

 likely at some time or other to rub his bridle off, and in 

 that case, if he is not used to an open bridle, he is 

 almost sure to run away. Colts should be broken both 

 ways, that is, with blinders and with an open bridle. 



BITS 



The bit should fit the horse^s mouth. If too nar- 

 row, it will pinch his cheeks or lips, and if too wide, it 

 will pull through his mouth and hurt the corners. A 

 high authority says: 



Do not try to drive a colt with a bit long enough for a 

 grown horse. More horses get bad mouths from bits too long 

 than from any other cause. Half the bits in daily use are from 

 one to five inches too long. 



The position of the bit in the horse's mouth should 

 be such that the cheek pieces of the bridle will be taut, 

 but not tight enough to wrinkle the corners of the 

 mouth. The bit should rest about one inch above the 

 bridle tooth in the horse, and in the corresponding place 

 in a mare, that Is, about two inches above the corner 

 (incisor) tooth. A bit either too loose or too tight In 

 the mouth Is uncomfortable and annoying to the horse. 



Some horses go best with a straight bit, but there 



