, for the crown-piece to
pass through. "Front" is the trade name for this strap.

The _head-stall_ or _head_, which is the trade term, is the name given
to all this leather work.

VARIETIES OF BITS.

Bits may be divided into snaffles, curbs and Pelhams.

SNAFFLES.

A _snaffle_ is a bit which acts on a horse's mouth by direct pressure,
and not by leverage.

[Illustration: Fig. 40.--Ward Union Curb Bridle with Half-moon Snaffle.]

A _bridoon_ is the term applied to the snaffle of a _double bridle_,
which is a bridle that has a curb and a snaffle. A double bridle is
often called a "bit and bridoon."

[Illustration: Fig. 41.--Curb Chain covered with India-rubber Tube.]

[Illustration: Fig. 42.--Chin-strap unbuckled.]

[Illustration: Fig. 43.--Chin-strap buckled.]

The best kinds of snaffles are the half-moon snaffle which has an
unjointed and slightly curved mouth-piece (Fig. 33); and the chain
snaffle (Fig. 34). The objection to the jointed snaffle (Fig. 35), which
is the kind generally used, is that it has a nut-cracker action on the
animal's mouth, instead of exerting a direct pressure, as shown
respectively in Figs. 36 and 37. A chain snaffle should always have a
Hancock's "curl bit mouth cover," which is a roll of india-rubber that
curls round the mouth-piece, and prevents it hurting the mouth. In the
absence of this india-rubber arrangement, we may cover the mouth-piece
with two or three turns of wash-leather, which can be kept in its place
by sewing.

[Illustration: Fig. 44.--Curb reversed by horse throwing up his head, in
the absence of a chin strap.]

In all cases a snaffle should be thick and smooth, so that it may not
hurt the horse's mouth.

CURBS.

A curb is a bit which acts as a lever, by means of the curb-chain that
passes under the animal's lower jaw (Fig. 38). Fig. 39 shows a properly
constructed curb for a horse with an ordinary sized mouth. The best curb
which is in general use is the Ward Union (Fig. 40). The curb-chain
should have broad and thick links, so that it may not hurt the lower
jaw. This precaution can be supplemented by a leather guard or by
passing the curb-chain through a rubber tube (Fig. 41). A chin-strap
(Figs. 42 and 43) is necessary to keep the curb in its place (Fig. 44).

PELHAMS.

A Pelham is a bit which can act either as a curb or a snaffle, according
to the reins which are taken up. Unless a lady thoroughly understands
the handling of the reins, she s