270 



RIDING BITS— THE CHIFNEY. 



one, at the mouth-piece. The upper arm 

 terminates in an eye which receives the 

 billet of the bridle. This bit is used with 

 double reins, one set is attached to the 

 large rings near the mouth-piece, and the 

 other pair of reins are fastened into the 

 rings in the lower part of the arms ; when 

 the latter are drawn up they convert the 

 bit into a curb. This bit is especially 

 suited to horses that carry their heads 

 too high. 



THE CHIFNEY. 



FIG. 144- The Chifney bit is designed with a view 



to avoiding the downward pressure on the 

 head of the horse, which all other forms of 

 curb have a tendency to exert. It consists 

 of a bar mouth-piece, usually made with a 

 port. Near the ends of this mouth-piece the 

 cheek-pieces, similar to those of the Wey- 

 mouth bit, are inserted through holes drilled 

 in the bar and there firmly held in place. 

 Short half cheek-pieces, with a collar at the 

 lower ends, are riveted on necks made at the 

 extreme ends of the mouth-piece, around 

 which they freely revolve, and the upper fig. 145. 

 ends of these half cheek-pieces are formed 

 into eyes by which the bit is attached to the head stall of the 

 bridle. This bit is extremely severe, as the entire pressure 

 of the reins falls upon the tongue, the bars of the mouth 

 and the under jaw at the point touched by the curb-chain. 

 The ordinary horseman does not realize in using a curb 



