316 ON BRIDLING 



Curbs witli points to cause much pain are used 

 sometimes to force horses with hard mouths to give 

 in. If it succeeds with some horses having hard 

 mouths it may be used, but generally the want 

 of effect of the ordinary curb-bit proceeds from the 

 unskilful hand which allows itself to be weighed 

 upon — or from the stiffness of the body, — or 

 from the bad action of the horse which when going 

 holds his body in a low position — or from weak- 

 ness of the backbone, legs and feet. 



The curb must be several links longer than 

 what is needed in order to be able to take hold 

 of it with the fingers and put it on its hook and 

 it should be used long at first and shortened gra- 

 dually in order to accustom the horse to its action 

 by degrees. The curb must be sufficiently long to 

 allow the lower cheeks of the bit to go back at 

 least one third of a right angle from the line of 

 the opening of the mouth and, in many cases, to 

 act more gradually, even half a right angle accor- 

 ding as it may be found useful for certain horses 

 and according to their degree of sensibility. A very 

 short curb keeping the lower cheeks in the direc- 



