THE LEVEE, THE BIT AND CURB, ETC. 175 



It is very clear that the narrower the chain is made 

 the more likely it is to cause pain, which is just what 

 we want to avoid, and we should therefore endeavour 

 to] make it as broad as possible. The vulgar notion of 

 a sharp curb is, as the reader perceives, a monstrous 

 absurdity. But there is a limit to this : if it be so broad 

 as to fill up the chin-groove completely, there will be 

 always a danger of its upper edge corning in contact 

 with the sharp cheek-bones at every, even the slightest, 

 pull on the reins, and getting up a sore which imme- 

 diately interferes with the action of the bit ; we must 

 therefore select a curb that does not altogether fill up 

 the groove. It is not easy to give any special dimension 

 for the width of the curb-chain : eight-tenths of an inch 

 will be found to answer the purpose very generally, 

 but if we can use a broader curb without injuring the 

 chin-groove so much the better ; it is more likely to be 

 flat and painless. Curbs are frequently made to taper 

 off a little towards the ends : there is no objection to 

 this, except that, being more difficult to manufacture 

 with precision, they are seldom so well made as the 

 curb that is equally broad throughout. Single-chain 

 curbs made of flat links may be good, if not too broad 

 or sharp-edged ; the plain double chain will be probably 

 better made, and therefore preferable : the great thing is 

 to avoid the infliction of pain ; and if we are sometimes 

 compelled to use a very narrow curb, on account of the 

 chin-groove being sharp and narrow, it will be well to 

 have a cloth case to run over it, which may be taken 

 off after use each time. 



It is not possible to give an exact dimension in inches 

 for the length of the curb ; a little reflection will show 

 that it must always bear some special proportion to 



