66 



RIDING FOR LADIES. 



most generally in use — beginning with the common, smooth- 

 jointed snaffle, which has ever been my favourite bit. This, 

 when sufficiently wide and large, forms an absolutely 

 perfect bridle, and its action is extremely simple, restraining 

 the horse by pressure on the bars of the mouth when his 

 head is carried more or less perpendicularly, and on the 

 corners when the head is lifted or lowered. Owing to the 

 centre of the mouthpiece being jointed, there is very little 



COMMON SNAFFLE. 



pressure on the tongue, which is one of the many points in 

 favour of this admirable bridle. 



The common snaffle must not in any wise be confounded 

 with the ringed-snaffle which has a noseband attached to 

 the inner rings, kept in place by pieces of leather stitched 

 round them and brought under the ends of the cheeks. 

 It may be made to act severely by drawing one pair of 

 reins tight and sharp, thus causing all the pressure to con- 

 centrate upon the horse's nose — and is then called a New- 

 market snaffle. 



