160 BITS AND BITTING. 



mechanical advantage obtained is proportionate to the 

 relative length of these two arms. Thus, if P F, fig. 8 

 (a), be equal twice W F, a power equal 1 applied at P 

 will counterbalance a weight equal 2 applied at W ; 

 but, as regards our purpose, it is more especially neces- 

 sary to observe that the power and the weight move in 



J*f order 



2* order P i> W 



Fig. 8. 



opposite directions, or rotate round the fulcrum or prop, 

 as is shown by the direction of the arrows. Applying 

 this to a bit, the bars of which represent the lever, 

 there can be no question as to where the power is ap- 

 plied, being the lower ring to which the rein is attached, 

 nor as to the direction in which it is intended to act, 

 being towards the rider's hand ; and if a bit act as a 

 lever of the first order, the fulcrum or prop must be 

 represented by the bars of the horse's mouth on which 

 the mouthpiece acts, and the pressure of the curb on 

 the chin would necessarily represent the weight to be 

 raised. But it has been shown that, in levers of the 

 first order, the power and weight move in opposite di- 

 rections in their rotation about the prop ; in this case, 

 therefore, the horse's chin, in consequence of the press- 

 ure exercised by the curb, should move forward that 

 is to say, away from the rider's hand; and the greater 

 the lever power of the bit, and the stronger the pull oil 

 the rein, so much the more would the horse be induced 

 to stick out his nose, an occurrence that is by no 



