SADDLES AND BRIDLES 217 



On a plain snaffle bridle the reins are usually a little 

 broader than in a double bridle and may be "laced," 

 in order to prevent their slipping should they get wet.* 



In a double bridle the bit (curb) reins are, some- 

 times, a trifle narrower than the bridoon (snaffle) reins, 

 in order to aid the rider to distinguish them. While 

 in a double bridle that is to be used for hunting the 

 bridoon reins may also be "laced." To a person un- 

 accustomed to "laced" reins, they may at first seem 

 rather clumsy, but once accustomed to them, one feels 

 quite lost without them, even in dry weather. 



The hand-pieces of most bit reins are for some un- 

 accountable reason nearly always sewn together, in- 

 stead of being buckled together as they should be, 

 to enable one to put the martingale on this rein. If 

 a martingale is used it should always be put on the 

 bit and not on the bridoon reins. A point which we 

 will discuss later. 



The "front" or brow-band of a bridle should be of 

 plain leather for hunters and of colored braided ribbon 

 for hacks. Colored celluloid or colored leather should 

 never be used. 



The nose-band may be either a narrow stitched 

 strap, which is attached to the same headstall as the 

 bits, or it may be a plain unstitched band on an entirely 

 separate headstall. 



The former variety is purely ornamental and is suited 

 for hacks; the latter, called a "Cavasson" nose-band, 

 is the correct one to use on hunters. It may be raised 

 or lowered by means of the cheek-pieces, so that pres- 



* "Lacing" is preferable to having leather strips sewn across the 

 reins, or tapering the reins in such a way that they are narrower in 

 front of the hand than behind. Red rubber hand-pieces, to prevent 

 slipping, savor too much of the race-track. 



