SADDLES AND BRIDLES 221 



a removable cover, such as the Hancock curl bit mouth 

 cover, which curls automatically around the bit and 

 can be removed, to permit of inspecting and cleaning 

 the bit. This is much safer than having the bit per- 

 manently covered, in which case the metal may be- 

 come corroded and worn underneath without being 

 noticed. 



In a double bridle the snaffle should always be spoken 

 of as the bridoon. The bridoon may be either of the 

 plain, half-moon, or jointed variety. It is much smaller 

 and thinner than that used in a snaffle bridle, but in 

 no case should it be so thin as to irritate the animal's 

 mouth. In fact, all bits should be fairly thick and 

 round in order to avoid this. To be smart the rings 

 of the bridoon should be flat. 



The different action which the bit of a double bridle 

 has on the bars of the mouth depends largely on the 

 shape of the mouthpiece; whether it is sliding or fixed, 

 in the height and shape of the bend or "port" in the 

 centre of the mouthpiece, and on the length of the 

 cheeks. Sliding mouthpieces are, as a rule (particularly 

 in the hands of an indifferent rider), better than station- 

 ary mouthpieces, as with the former, any jerk from the 

 rider's hands is more or less taken up by the sliding. 

 The chief purpose of the port is to take the weight of 

 the bit off the horse's tongue (which is not very sensi- 

 tive) and bring it all to bear on the more sensitive 

 bars of the mouth. Under no circumstances should 

 it be high enough to touch, let alone hurt, the roof of 

 the horse's mouth. A maximum height would be about 

 one and two-thirds inches, and the port should be wide 

 enough to enable the tongue to He in it comfortably. 



The length of the upper portion of the cheek of the 

 bit (measuring from the centre of the mouthpiece to the 



