lather) should
be employed to clean the leather work, except a little lime-juice or
lemon-juice to remove stains. The use of soft soap permanently darkens
leather. A small amount of saddle dressing may be put on once a month,
in order to keep the leather soft and pliable. The steel work should, of
course, be kept bright.

FOOTNOTES:

[46-*] The "tread" is the part of the stirrup-iron on which the sole
of the rider's boot rests.

CHAPTER IV.

BRIDLES.

Description of a Bridle--Varieties of Bits--Snaffles--Curbs--Pelhams--
Nose-bands--Reins--Martingales--Adjustment of the Bridle.

As there is no difference between the bridles used by men and those
employed by ladies, I have compiled this chapter from my husband's
_Riding and Hunting_, to which I beg to refer my readers for any further
information they may require.

DESCRIPTION OF A BRIDLE.

A bridle consists of a bit, head-stall and reins. The _bit_ is the piece
of metal which goes into the animal's mouth; the _head-stall_ or
"_head_" is the leather straps which connect the bit to the horse's
head; and the _reins_ enable the rider to use the bit.

Some persons incorrectly restrict the term "bit" in all cases to a curb.
This particular application of the word is from custom allowable in the
expression "bit and bridoon," in which the bit signifies a curb, and the
bridoon a snaffle.

[Illustration: Fig. 32.--"Head" of a Single Bridle: _a_, Crown-piece;
_b_, _b_, Cheek-pieces; _c_, Throat-latch; _d_, Front or Brow-band.]

[Illustration: Fig. 33.--Unjointed Snaffle.]

[Illustration: Fig. 34.--Chain Snaffle.]

[Illustration: Fig. 35.--Ordinary Snaffle with Cheeks.]

[Illustration: Fig. 36.--Nutcracker action of Jointed Snaffle on Horse's
Mouth.]

[Illustration: Fig. 37.--Action of Unjointed Snaffle on Horse's Mouth.]

[Illustration: Fig. 38.--Action of the Curb as a Lever.]

The _names of the different leather parts of a bridle_ (Fig. 32) are as
follows:--

The _crown piece_ (_a_) passes over the horse's poll.

The _cheek pieces_ (_b_ _b_) connect the crown-piece with the bit.

The _throat-latch_ (_c_), which is usually pronounced "throat-lash,"
passes under the animal's throat, and serves to prevent the bridle from
slipping over his head.

[Illustration: Fig. 39.--Properly constructed Curb for ordinary Hunter.
Side View.]

The _front_, _forehead-band_ or _brow-band_ (_d_) goes across the
horse's forehead, and has a loop at each end