166 



BITS AND BITTING. 



horse will therefore Lore in the rider's hand. On the 

 other hand, the hit with the short upper "bar d c, 

 equal half d e, will assume the position c', d, / 3 that 

 is, it will fall through. The curb will no doubt 

 remain in the chin -groove, and act forwards in the 

 direction e c', but forming a very acute angle with the 

 branches of the bit itself, will have scarcely any value 

 as a prop. The lever action, however, will be very 



Fig. 11. 



great, the lower branch, / d, being to the upper one, 

 d c, in the proportion of 4 to 1. In fact, it will be 

 too great, and therefore reduces the prop to a nullity. 



The intermediate upper bar d b, equal d e, will 

 assume the position b r d / 2 ; it will neither be stiff 

 nor fall through: the curb will remain in the chin- 

 groove, acting obliquely forwards in the line e b', and 

 will afford a sufficient prop or support ; and the lower 

 branch of the lever, / d, being in the proportion of 2 

 to 1 to the upper one, d b, there will be sufficient 

 lever action. 



