THE LEVEE, THE BIT AND CURB, ETC. 199 



that pleases the eye ; the main point being, that it 

 should not exceed the proper length. Another form 

 of bit would be with the mouthpiece, No. 8, fig. 14, p. 

 183. Those who wish to use unjointed bits may adopt 

 any pattern they please for the cheeks, but the dimen- 

 sions should be carefully adjusted. Therefore it is an 

 absolute absurdity to make the cheeks so long, that one 

 is obliged to buckle the reins not into the lowest eye 

 or ring, but into one placed higher up. The lower por- 

 tion of the cheek should never exceed in length exactly 

 the double of the upper portion, otherwise the action of 

 the lever becomes too rapid and severe ; and even when 

 the billet of the reins is habitually fastened into a ring 

 that is not too far distant from the rivet of the mouth- 

 piece (line of bearing), still the weight of the project- 

 ing portion must always affect the leverage of the whole 

 instrument, and nothing is gained by it except being 

 in the fashion. 



It would be quite another thing with a bit whose 

 lower cheek was of the proper dimensions, and in pro- 

 pel' proportion to the upper cheek ; to put a second 

 ring or eye for the rein somewhat higher upon the 

 principle of what we have called the dumpy bit, 

 fig. 15, and we should then have the upper portion 

 of the cheek If inch, and the lower portion to the 

 point where the rein is attached .3 J inches long, with an 

 intermediate ring |-ths of an inch higher up ; that is 

 to say, at 2f inches from the line of bearing. This 

 lighter leverage would be then available for young 

 horses when first being trained in harness, or for trained 

 horses when it is desirable to make them throw their 

 weight more into the collar for a long and rapid 

 journey. 



