132 Bits and Bitting. 



degrees of sensibility to pressure tliat result from these 

 varieties of conformation ; for instance, the lower lip is 

 covered w^ith a very thick skin, underneath which lie 

 the roots of the beard, fat and membrane, and this struc- 

 ture is continued up into a certain depression under the 

 chin, known as the chin-groove, and called by the Ger- 

 mans the curb-groove i^kinnkettciigrube). Now the 

 portion of bone immediately beneath the thick and not 

 very sensitive skin of the chin-groove is flat and rounded 

 off in all directions, being, in fact, that point where the 

 two branches of the jaw begin to unite together ; and if 

 a flat curb-chain, for instance, which has a proper width, 

 act in this groove, a considerable amount of pressure 

 may be applied without causing any very unpleasant 

 sensation to the horse. 



But if we pass our finger up out of this groove toward 

 the angle of the jaw, we immediately find that both the 

 character of the bone and that of the skin covering it 

 have become very much changed ; the former has got 

 sharp, hard edges, and the latter, being no longer fur- 

 nished with beard, will be found to be thin, and very 

 sensitive ; so that a very slight pressure of this thin skin 

 on the sharp edges of bone causes very considerable 

 pain. We shall presently see that no horse can be prop- 

 erly bitted unless these peculinrities be borne in mind 

 and due allowance made for them. 



As to the cartilage of the nose, it is of importance to 

 recollect what we are pulling atwhen w^e put a cavesson 

 on a young horse ; the point at which the bone ceases 

 and the cartilage commences is especially sensitive and 

 liable to injury. A cavesson is a most admirable instru- 

 ment for those who know how to use it ; but, most fre- 

 quently, it is like putting a sharp razor in the hands of a 

 madman to let an ignorant or half-taught rider catch 

 hold of the lounge. Many a young horse has been spav- 

 ined by an angry drag at his nose with this very power- 



