BITTING. 73 



the greatest amount of safety ; but, where this does not 

 exist, the natural or acquired defect may in great measure 

 be counterbalanced by the application of a suitable bit. 



Persons have positively laughed at me when I have 

 spoken of having a horse's mouth measured — and yet there 

 are three interior measurements which ought to be carefully 

 made before fitting an animal with a bit: these are, the 

 width of the mouth, taking the measurement from the chin- 

 groove — the exact width of the channel in which the tongue 

 rests — and the height of the bars of the mouth, by which 

 I mean from the surface of them to the undej^nost point of 

 the chin-groove. If a bit with a port is to be used, the 

 horse's tongue ought also to be measured. 



It often happens that from improper bitting horses 

 acquire an ugly trick of working their tongues over the 

 mouthpiece. I had two that did it, but cured them by 

 riding them for awhile with a snaffle only, and then care- 

 fully fitting them as described wath suitable bits. 



Correct bitting will ensure complete control, or ought to 

 do so, without inflicting pain. Anything that involves 

 suffering ought to be discarded— although I do not wish it 

 to be understood that I object to such pain in bitting as 

 will compel an unbroken horse to drop his head to the 

 correct position, or yield to the hands that are training 

 him. Remember, however, that a curb unduly tightened, 

 or a bit that is too severe, will often make a horse poke 

 out his chin— and you must not then drag at him, but 

 rather eive him ease. When an animal has a bit forced 

 into his mouth that he feels will not suit him, he tries to 



