3o8 



The Book op the Horse. 



at the bit. It slides on a round cheek rein, and would pull a horse's mouth, if he resisted long 

 enough (up to his eyes as they say). It is always used with another plain snaffle, forming a 

 double bridle, and is of value in the early training of young horses. 



The better the horseman the less dependent he is on the shape of his bits. 



THE CURB-BIT. 



The ordinary form of curb-bit consist's of two cheeks and a mouthpiece, with a curve 

 in the centre called the port, and a chain — the curb-chain — attached to the cheeks in such a 

 manner that when the curb reins are pulled it acts and presses the chin of the horse. See below. 



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^^^^^^^'^^ 



PROPER POSITION OF CURB-BIT, WITH PORT 

 OVER CHIN-GROOVE. 



CURB-CHAIN PROPERLY FITTED. 



There are a variety of shapes for curb-bits, the Chifney being the most powerful, and requiring 

 delicate hands not to misuse ; the Hanoverian, which has several joints in the mouthpiece ; the bit 

 a pompe, most commonly fitted to harness bridles, but not necessarily, in which there arc no 

 ports, but, to give room and play for the tongue, the mouthpiece rises and falls on the cheeks. 



The ver>' high ports of bits intended to hold a pulling horse are abominations ; a port should 

 only be used to give room for the tongue, and for no other purpose. The best double bridle 

 for ordinary use is composed of a curb-bit of the Dwyer pattern (see next page), and a snaffle 

 bit like No. I and No. 2. But I prefer the snaffle used in hunting to have half horns like No. 3, 

 so that in a flurry there is less chance of the bit and snaffle being drawn through the horse's mouth. 

 In all the curb bits on p. 307 the cheeks copied from common bits are too long. 



