THE LEVEE, THE BIT AND CURB, ETC. 



181 



now generally adopted, beginning with the lightest 

 that is to say, the one whose pressure is almost entirely 

 exercised on the tongue and proceeding onwards with 

 an increase of port or " tongue-freedom " to the 

 very sharpest it is advisable or can ever be necessary 

 to use namely, to one in which the height of the 

 port is equal to its width, say 1|- inch ; and beyond 

 this it is impossible to go, because the slightest pull 

 on the rein would, by altering the position of the 

 lever, bring the top of the port to press against the 



Fig. 14. Various mouth-pieces. 



palate, causing more or less pain, and therefore in- 

 ducing the horse to bore with its head in the contrary 

 direction to the pressure that is, away from the rider's 

 hand. 



A mere inspection of these figures shows that the 

 thickness of the iron or steel is an important item ; the 

 diameter of the straight portion of the mouth-piece may 

 vary from a-half to three-quarters of an inch ; and it is 

 scarcely necessary to point out that the greater the 

 diameter the less painful will be its action on the bars of 

 the mouth. When under half an inch it pinches to a 

 certain extent, and should therefore be only employed 



