BITS AND BRIDLES. 137 



width of the mouthpiece from 4^ to 5^ inches, 

 according to the size of the pony's mouth. The mouth- 

 piece should on no account be too narrow ; for it would 

 then be apt to hurt the animal's lips. A pony from 14 

 hands to 14.2 seldom requires a bit narrower than 5 

 inches (inside measurement). The curb chain should 

 be heavy, flat and smooth, and will be all the better if 

 covered with an india-rubber tube, or a leather 



-^ig- 57- — Long cheek Curb bit. 



guard (Fig. 58). Thin curb chains are an abomina- 

 tion. We should always employ a lip strap to keep 

 the curb chain in its place, and should have the 

 lip strap rings placed about i^ inches below the 

 mouthpiece in all bridles, so as to prevent the curb 

 chain slipping over the chin and into the mouth of 

 the pony. The bridoon should be smooth, round and 

 heavy, and should be placed just high enough to 

 touch, but not to wrinkle, the corners of the mouth. 

 Thin snaffles are very irritating to ponies. A nose 

 band, placed low down and tight enough to prevent the 



