The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-01-28
BRIDES AND BITS.


hinge or snaffie Dit
See that your horses bit is neither too.
short nsr too long for his mouth.
Always take the slack up in the besring-
reins and over checks on road horses.
Horses that are not free drivers will re-
ouire less urging il driven with bride with
blinds on.
Some stylish rangy horses are driven With
out any bearing.rein, though IL is safer TO
use one.
Some horses become slow and need more
urging when driven regularly with an open
dIidIe.
Horses that shy much and take strong
hold of the bit will sometimes drive better
with an open bride.
Every driver of fast road or track horses
should use the best forged bits to be had.
They are the safest.
Some horses will not "go up" on the bit
when the over-check and upper-jaw bit are
REQUIRED. In that case try an all leather
upper-iaw bit.
For q horse that carries his head mp and
travels with the nose inclined outward, aud
does not pull, the side-bearing rein will
answer.
ma horse carrying his head low and inclined
inward, and does not pull much, can best be
driven with the over-check attached to the
large bit.
For some horses that pull moderately an
upper jaw straight Bit attached TO the over
check. may satisfy the driver; il not, try q
hinged upper jaw bit.
With bride without blinds s3me horses
will drive gently to a no.top wagon, while
with top-wsgon they will get frightened at
the top and frequently run away.
When the angles of the mouth become
sore from the pressure Of the bit apply pull
verified alum and honey in equsl parts tour
or five times day, and use wide bit.
When the mouth and tongue bscome fe-
verish and bruised little from the effects of
pulling on the bit, sponge those parts with
q solution OF white oak bark or alum water
Nsver put an open Bride on your horse
until you know that he will go safely with
| it. Some horses will get frightened and kick
while others will run away II driven with an
open bride.
Never drive a horse. no matter how quiet
| he may be, with flexible rubber bit. III his
| mouth is tender and a soft bit is required use
| the rubber straight bit or lesther-covered
one.
Have the bride fit nicely. The bit should
| touch the angles of the mouth and do not
| allow the blinds to fare open. Have holes
| in the crown piece for 81 over check and
loops on the throat latch for bearing rein, so
| that either may be used.
A berse that is apt to kick in harness
should wear an over check and an upper. jaW
or four-ring bit, The oyer check should be
| frightened so that the horse head my be kept
| high. IL the animal should offer to kick give
| him q severe jerk, first with the right line
and then with the left.
For horses which get the tongue over the
bit and hang it out use the bit lately invent
ed called the Perfection bit" 1t has the
| upper Jaw bit fastened to the large bit. Or
| get flexible piece of rubber and fssten the
| upper jaw and large bits together, tying them
| with strong string, which will answer the
| same purpose.
Sometimes soft, puffy swellings are formed
on the membranous lining OF the mouth by
the bit bruising the parts, frequently causing
| the horse to pull and fret. These swellings
| may be removed by cutting off portion OF
them with scissors; afterward apply alum
water, or equal parts OF tincture of myrrh
and water, two or three times day.
| Horses that will pull on one line are met
with occasionally. There is often a cause
for this. See if the corner of the mouth is
| sore; then IL the outside edge of the upper
| jaw-teeth are sharp or have faDgs which ma =
| cut the cheek. The inside edge of the lowe
jaw.teeth May be sharp and hurt the tn-eae'
Examine the mouth thoroughlyt her. NAV
be boil or cbsfe c"-Seo oy lne collar Vi
| trace.
,,a.t -any people who drive horses do
MT k@- y what kin d OF q bit or bearingrein
= oest adspted TO their particular case.
I Some animals will become slow with the
| over. check and upper-Jaw bit on, while
| others with the side bearing rein will take
| hold of the bit and pull, the head BEING
drawn in toward the breast, causing them
| frequently to choke. Attention to few
simple hints may make pleasant drives for
hose owning and driving road horses.