RIDING TO HOUNDS 255 



a smooth snaffle, it is just as easy if a horse does 

 not pull hard, and therefore the option lies with 

 himself whether he is hurt or not. Moreover, all 

 horses jump freely into it, and there is no fear of 

 pulling a horse into a ditch when using it. It 

 therefore suits many persons who find a curb 

 bridle does not quite suit them ; while horses are 

 not irritated by it, nor do they snatch at it, or 

 throw their heads about when they are caught 

 hold of (as the term is) to send them at a fence. 

 These latter ways are most disconcerting, as it is 

 impossible to make the most of a horse, or to do 

 awkward jumps, if he will not allow himself to 

 be steadied with the bridle ; and this is most 

 usually caused by his being afraid of the bit. 

 The great objection to chain and twisted snaffles 

 is that they are always severe, and require a 

 smooth one to be used in addition, to give ease to 

 the horse w^hen disposed to go quietly. This bit, 

 however, combining as it does the severity of a 

 twisted snaffle, and the ease of a plain one, is 

 admirably adapted for using when a horse has 

 been accustomed to a double bridle ; though it 

 frequently happens that after some time his mouth 

 gets so sensitive, that a further change may be 

 made with advantage to a plain smooth snaffle. 

 The bit consists of four smooth bars of steel, as ^ .^J^ 

 if an ordinary snaffle had been sliced in half, and 

 three large rollers inserted between each pair of 

 bars, the whole constituting a "roller snaffle." 

 When a horse is very headstrong, and determined 

 not to stop, and the bit is drawn through his 

 mouth, from side to side, all the rollers begin 

 working, and few horses indeed will continue to 

 rebel under this treatment. If, however, the horse 

 does not pull, the bit becomes in effect a plain 



