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

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.”

Fig. 41.—Curb Chain covered with India-rubber Tube.

Fig. 42.—Chin-strap unbuckled.

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.

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.