The common snaffle must not in any wise be confounded with the ringed-snaffle which has a noseband attached to the inner rings, kept in place by pieces of leather stitched round them and brought under the ends of the cheeks. It may be made to act severely by drawing one pair of reins tight and sharp, thus causing all the pressure to concentrate upon the horse’s nose—and is then called a Newmarket snaffle.
I append sketches of a common jointed snaffle, the easiest and nicest bit that a thoroughly-trained horse can possibly go in, and also a double-ringed one, such as I have just described. The latter is frequently used by men when breaking young horses in Irish hunting-fields, and is very useful when servants have to be entrusted with the handling of animals, for, severe though it may be made, it cannot spoil a horse’s mouth so easily as can any description of curb.
RINGED SNAFFLE.
There is not among the whole range of bits any so mild or suitable to a learner as the common snaffle. Captain Horace Hayes, writing to me on the subject, says: “The more imperfect the rider, the greater the necessity for using a snaffle bridle; but this,” he adds, “goes without saying. Persons are at times found to express such mad ideas about horses and bitting that to reply to them is only to encourage their folly.”
A big smooth bridoon (with or without horns), and a solid Portmouth bit and curb, will be found a capital hunting bridle. It has always been a favourite with me for horses that do not want to get their tongues over the bit, and where this objectionable habit does not exist, the common-jointed snaffle or Pelham will be found very nice also. In using it, however, you must see that the headstall is long enough for the pressure to lie on the bars of the horse’s mouth. This should always be looked to by the rider. If it has a tendency to crumple the lips at the corners, it is wrong, and partakes of the nature of a gag.
JOINTED PELHAM.
The Pelham bridle finds many advocates: Major Whyte Melville liked it, for instance,—and for showing off paces (if this alone be desired), I approve of the Hanoverian Pelham, but not particularly for anything else. The Newmarket snaffle is a capital bit for pullers, and the American snaffle with india-rubber mouthpiece is a pleasant bridle, largely used in the States for trotting purposes. The Segundo, formerly a great favourite, is a very powerful controller—while the Melton mouth-bit is deservedly a prime favourite with many riders. The Liverpool is greatly used for harness, and seems to have quite superseded the old Buxton, the bottom bar of which made it uncomfortably liable to catch on the pole-end or shaft.
