32 PINK AND SCARLET 



mare can no more look well in it than a lady can in 

 a vulgar bonnet. The bridoon is so thin as to be 

 almost like a piece of string, while it is so high in 

 the mare's mouth that it wrinkles up the corners. 

 The bit is jammed close up to the bridoon with 

 the result that the desperately tight and twisted 

 curb-chain, which is inside the bridoon, is far above 

 the chin-groove. Neither curb, bit, nor bridoon can 

 act properly as they are placed ; moreover, they are 

 uncomfortable, and will assuredly irritate all light- 

 mouthed and most high-couraged animals. The 

 breastplate is so tight that it miust cause a gall. 

 The stirrup-leathers, by the way the irons hang, 

 have evidently not been put on to their proper sides, 

 and a rider who lost one iron would not be able to 

 recover it easily. 



In Plate IV., Figure i, the saddle is a good and 

 well-shaped one, it fits the mare, and is well off her 

 withers and her backbone, its flaps are long and 

 will not catch the tops of the rider's boots, while 

 the absence of stuffing makes them sit close to the 

 mare's sides. The stirrup-leathers have been put 

 on their proper sides, and therefore the irons hang 

 at right angles to the mare, and would be easily 

 found by the rider's foot. The bridle, Figure 2, is 

 sewn on to the bit, and it thus looks neat and 

 workmanlike. The thick bridoon lies easily in the 

 mare's mouth and does not wrinkle the corners. 

 The bit is in its right place, i. e. two inches above the 

 corner tooth (one inch above the tusk of the horse) ; 

 the result is that the evenly laid, correctly hooked 



