BITS AND lilTTINO. 139 



vere biting in connection with a fleshy tongne, in 

 wliicli case tlie mouthpiece cuts the hxtter. thereliy 

 stopping the circuhition of the blood, and causini^ 

 severe pain, to escape which tlie horse draws liis 

 tongue back and phices it over the mouthpiece. Tliis 

 makes matters still worse, as then the edges of the 

 port, which as before stated are generally too wide, 

 press into and bruise the sensitive bars. The horse 

 will then either pull hard against or slu'ink back 

 from the rider's hand, rendering him often quite 

 i.iumanageable. With carriage horses this lolling 

 out of the tougne is generally the result of the 

 bearing reins being too short. 



Other horses again form the dangerons habit of 

 ijntUnmj aland hold! mj the lower branch of the bit with 

 their lips and teeth, on one side or the other, ren- 

 dering them perfectly unmanageable. This habit 

 arises either from too sharp, or from too broad a 

 curb-chain, or one that mounts up out of the chin- 

 groove to the sensitive ends of the jawbones. This 

 habit, if once acquired, is a very dangerons one, as 

 such horses are very apt to run away. They need a 

 bit with the lower branches in the shape of a re- 

 versed cajiital S. Lip-straps are sometimes used, 

 but with doubtful effect. 



To ovei'come these difficulties I constructed, a few 

 years ago, a combhiativii bit, according to the given 



