SADDLE AND BRIDLE 



ance arises from undue length of back or 

 weakness of the loins, from narrow quarters, 

 want of second thighs, straight hocks, or from 

 the quarters being higher or lower than the 

 withers ; these are the real causes of resistance. 

 The stiffening of the neck or jaw is the horse's 

 way of insisting on licence to carry his head in 

 the position which best relieves his weak parts 

 of work and weight, and reformation can only 

 be obtained by the strengthening of these weak 

 parts by carefully graduated exercises. 



Construction mid Placing of the Bit. — The 

 upper arms of the bit, from the centre of the 

 mouthpiece to the point from which the curb 

 hooks hang, should be from if to if inches 

 according to the depth of the horse's jaw at the 

 chin groove. The lower branches should vary 

 from 4J to, say, 6|- inches, according as the 

 horse requires a severe or a mild bit. The 

 mouthpiece should be from 4 to 4| inches in 

 width, the upper branches of the cheeks being 

 slightly turned outwards ; a 4|-inch width will 

 suit most horses if the port is not more than 

 \\ inches wide ; one inch is sufficient generally 

 to enable the horse to get his tongue back under 

 the bit should he draw it up, and there is little 

 danger of a corner of the port getting on to 

 one of the bars and hurting it, when the horse's 



15 



