8o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM. 



A watering-bridle snaffle of this description is 

 truly a nice thing to put into a horse's mouth, 

 especially when the metal casing with which such 

 snaffles are covered is flaking off, and the surface is 

 consequently rough. It is difficult at any time to 

 find a groom with what are called ' hands.' What, 

 then, must be the effect of such an instrument in 

 the mutton-fisted grasp of one without ' hands,' on 

 a horse whose mouth is delicate and tender? No ; 

 galvanized iron is a very useful thing in its proper 

 place, but that place is not in the mouth of a horse. 



Again, the reins of exercising bridles are often 

 made of cheap, common leather, instead of good, 

 sound material ; and they are very constantly 

 buckled on to the snaffle, thereby, inasmuch as 

 there is ever so much more stitching to rot and g-et 

 out of order, wearing out much sooner than they 

 would if sewn on to the rinsfs. 



I maintain that exercising bridles should be kept 

 as clean as those for the use of the master, and a 

 good groom will take care that the}^ are so. 



We will supjDOse that the ordinary description of 

 uncared-for bridle is in use on a horse. It is per- 

 haps a chilly morning, and the horse is a bit fresh. 

 Something startles him, and he tries to bolt. The 

 groom pulls at him — most probably the pull is a 

 severe 'job' in the mouth; bang goes the rotten 



