142 MANUAL OF FARM ANIMALS 



the places likely first to show abrasion. Sores thus produced 

 give the horse much pain and are likely to become a cause of 

 viciousness. Sore mouth thus often provokes a horse to run 

 away ; sore shoulders and neck often provoke balking ; and sore 

 tail often provokes kicking. Since the efficiency and comfort of 

 the horse depend so largely on the adjustment of the bit, lines, 

 collar, saddle, and crupper, it seems desirable to discuss each of 

 these separately. 



The bit and the bridle. — When one recalls the extreme tender- 

 ness of the mouth, the cruel manner in which it is often bitted, 

 the irritation from the sores, he can understand why a horse may 

 lag behind till the parts become numbed, then begin to pull, 

 holding the head to one side, going with mouth open, loUing the 

 tongue, slobbering, tossing the head, crossing the jaws, and 

 in many other ways showing evidence of the discomfort he is 

 suffering. 



The bit. — Bits of many types have been devised to meet the 

 various and peculiar habits of horses, most of which have been 

 designed to punish the horse and irritate the sensitive parts. 

 With the punishment of the whip at the rear and a harsh and 

 severe bit at the front the horse is between two goads, and if he 

 does not balk, rear, plunge, or run away, he is exceptional. 



A good-sized straight bit covered with leather or rubber, if the 

 mouth is tender, cannot be improved on in most cases. One 

 must be careful to get a bit of the proper length for the horse's 

 mouth. Many bits are too long and are pulled out of adjust- 

 ment in the mouth, so that the pressure on either side is not 

 equal. The bit must be of the correct length for the particular 

 animal, and properly adjusted. 



Some horses work better with the jointed or snafHe bit. It 

 gives more room for the tongue, and the pressure is more evenly 

 distributed on the jaws than with the straight bit. Severe bits, 

 of which there are many in the market, and which are intended 

 for punishment, should never be used unless it is absolutely 



