24 



THE HOESEMAN. 



The curb should be hooked underneath the snaffle or 

 bridoon, but it should not be so tight as to compress the 

 chin when the bridle hand does not act. 



The bridoon or snaffle should be in the corner of the 

 horse's mouth without pressing against or wrinkling it. 



The bit (or curb-bit as it is usually termed) powerfully 

 controls the horse ; it draws in his head and beautifully 

 arches his neck ; it makes him " light in hand," and his 

 movements easy and graceful. 



With the bridoon or snaffle [see Plate VIIL), the horse 

 can take a natural position and act with more freedom. 

 This bridle is preferable to any other, particularly when 

 riding over uneven ground, where there are many obsta- 

 cles, and also in leaping ; but if the rider cannot control 

 his horse, he must resort to the " curb-bit." 



Section IV. — On the Bit and its various parts. 



Bits are variously constructed to operate with diifer- 

 ent degrees of power on the several parts of the horse's 

 m.outh. 



The barrel of the bit, when acting equally upon both 

 bars of the mouth, tends to check, stop, or back the 

 horse ; and when only one bar is affected, the horse turns 

 his head to the side. 



The reader will observe that in some bits there is a 

 crook,* which operates against the roof of the mouth, 



* The curb has the same effect, but in a milder degree, the 

 chin being less sensitive than the roof of the mouth. 



