ADJUSTMENT OF THE CURB. 91 



ifc preferable to place the mouthpiece (as directed by 

 Colonel Greenwood in his work Hints on Horseman- 

 ship), so that it may just clear the tushes of horses, 

 or be about one inch above the corner nippers of mares ; 

 in fact, as low as possible without involving the danger 

 of the curb chain slipping over the animal's chin. 



Having now fixed the length of the upper arm of 

 the cheek-piece, we may, to obtain increased power, 

 lengthen the lower arm, as we may find convenient, 

 say to 4J inches. 



The width of the mouthpiece should accurately cor- 

 respond with that of the horse's mouth, so that it 

 may not pinch the lips by being too tight, nor be 

 liable to slip from side to side by being too loose. 

 In the latter case, the horse is apt to acquire the habit 

 of " boring" to one side, which is done by his getting 

 the cheek-piece of one side of the bit close up against his 

 own cheek, which will cause the port to become shifted 

 over to the other side. Owing to the absence of the 

 port, the horse will then be able to relieve the gum of 

 the side, to which he " bores," of pressure, by interposing 

 his tongue between it and the mouthpiece. When the 

 mouthpiece fits accurately, the port will remain in the 

 centre of the mouth, which fact will give an " even feel- 

 ing" on both sides. 



The action of the port is to relieve the tongue of 

 pressure, by transferring it to the gums, which are the 

 more sensitive part of the two. 



If we wish to render the bit less severe, we may 

 lower the post, so as to allow the tongue to take some 

 of the pressure. 



