218 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



sure can be brought to bear on whatever portion of 

 the horse's nose is desired. On a puller it may be 

 tightened so as to prevent the horse from opening his 

 mouth, or from catching the bit with his teeth and 

 shifting it about. It is evident that the lower the nose- 

 band is placed the more effective it will be in closing 

 the jaw.* The useful purposes of the nose-band are 

 too little understood by people who seem to think 

 that it exists simply for looks. 



The throat-latch of a bridle should neither be so 

 loose as to look untidy nor so tight that it exerts pres- 

 sure on the horse's windpipe. In order to present a 

 tidy appearance, all the strap ends on a bridle should 

 always be carefully placed in their "keepers." 



No matter what style of bit is used, it should be 

 accurately fitted to the horse's mouth, and should 

 neither be so narrow as to pinch the lips nor so wide 

 as to permit of the animal catching hold of it and bor- 

 ing on one side in order to relieve the pressure on the 

 other side of the jaw. 



Only the best hard-forged steel should be used for 

 bits. Forged wrought-iron, annealed cast-iron, or 

 plated and nickel bits, recommended because they 

 will not rust, are not as strong as steel and often have 

 flaws in them. Unless the purchaser has inside knowl- 

 edge as to the exact meaning of the trade-marks on 

 bits, which designate the material of which they are 

 made, he should only purchase from a reliable firm 

 whose word he can trust. 



Bits differ as much as the hands of the rider and his 

 ability to use them. In a large stable, where many 



* In extreme cases where a very tight nose-band is required, the rear 

 portion of it may be covered with a bit of rubber tubing to prevent it 

 hurting the edges of the lower jaw. 



