10 THE BIT OR CURB BRIDLE. 



grinders, horses have a canine tooth, called the tnsk, which 

 is rarely found in mares. In the horse's month then, the 

 mouth-piece should be placed so as to hang easy and loose, 

 that is, not so high as to wrinkle his lips — nor so low 

 as to make him fretful, but fitted in such a way that, 

 although loose and easy, the horse cannot get it below the 

 tusk. It should be placed one inch above the tusk, and 

 though, as I have said before, mares rarely have tusks, the 

 same attention must be paid to adjust it properly ; for, if 

 the snaffle is too low, you will never get a good, or steady 

 carriage of the head. 



The throat -band must be buckled so as to admit three 

 fingers between it and the horse's jaw-bone. 



The snaffle should be continued until the horse's mouth 

 is made, and we do not consider the mouth to be made, 

 until the horse will answer the slightest indication of the 

 rider's hand. 



The Bit or Curb Bridle, 



To be effective, should be placed in the horse's mouth, 

 so that the mouth-piece may rest on the bars or gums one 

 inch above the lower tusk, for mares, it should be placed 

 two inches above the corner tooth. The bridoon or snaffle, 

 must fit easy above the bit, so as not to wrinkle the lips; 

 the chain must lie smooth and flat under the chin, and 

 should, when properly adjusted, admit one finger to play 

 easily between it and the jaw-bone ; but never tighter, with 

 a view of punishing the horse's mouth. 



Some bridles have also a nose-band; and this is not as 

 some seem to think, for ornament only, as it is intended to 

 prevent the horse from opening his mouth so as to defend 

 himself against the bit. It should be buckled beneath the 

 bridoon head-stall, and admit one finger between it and the 



