42 BRIDLING. 



legs or cheeks, giving the greatest leverage against the 

 curb. By the addition of deep ports on the mouth- 

 piece much severity is attained, which can be increased 

 to the utmost by the addition of a tight noseband to 

 prevent the horse from easing the port by movement of 

 his tongue or jaws. 



It is almost needless to observe, that the reverse of 

 the above will be the mildest bits for tender-mouthed, 

 easy-going horses. 



Twisted Mouthpieces are happily now almost out of 

 fashion, and ought to be entirely discountenanced ; 

 their original intention was to command hard-mouthed 

 horses, w^hose mouths their use can only render harder. 



The Noseband, if tightened, would be found very 

 useful with many a hard-pulling horse in the excitement 

 of hunting, when the bit Avhich would otherwise require 

 to be used would only irritate the puller, cause him 

 to go more wildly, and make matters worse. I have 

 known some pullers to be more under control in the 

 hunting-field with a pretty tight noseband and a snaffle 

 than with the most severe curb-bit. 



The Throat-lasli is almost always too tight. Grooms 

 are much in the habit of making this mistake, by 

 means of which, when the head is bent by a severe 

 bit, the throat is compressed and the respiration im- 

 peded, besides occasioning an ugly appearance in the 

 caparison. 



It may be remarked also that, if not corrected, ser- 

 vants are apt to leave the ends of the bridle head-stall 

 straps dangling at length out of the loops, which is very 

 unsightly : the ends of the straps should be inserted in 

 these loops, which should be sufficiently tight to retain 

 them. 



