60 ELEMENTS OF HIPPOLOGY. 



CHAPTER V. 



BITS— THEIR ACTION, INFLUENCE, AND 

 PROPER USE.* 



A bit is an instrument devised to convey instructions 

 to the horse from his rider in accordance with a set of sig- 

 nals concerning his guidance and control, whose separate 

 meanings he has been taught to know. 



The perfectly trained horse that has a perfect temper needs 

 a bit that conveys these instructions without pain. Such horses 

 are, unfortunately, rare, so bits must be devised that not only 

 convey instructions as to gait and direction, but that are capable 

 of inflicting pain when the temper of the horse inclines him to 

 disregard these instructions. 



The point of application — the seat — of the bit is on the bars 

 of the horse's jaw, about one-third of the distance from the tushes 

 to the molars (Figure 42). 



Figure 43 shows a simple bar bit in its normal position on 

 the horse's jaw.f The horse's tongue lies in the opening be- 

 tween the two rows of teeth, under the bit, and, at rest, fills the 

 space under the bit and partially supports it. 



*An effort is made here to describe only the action of ordinary 

 bits in common use, on normal mouths. The subject is a very broad 

 one, and must necessarily be briefly touched on here. Captain M. 

 Horace Haves' admirable work, " Riding and Hunting," contains an 

 exhaustive discussion of this subject. 



The author is indebted to Major Edwin St. J. Greble, 3d Field 

 Artillery, for much that is contained in this chapter. 



fThe same bone furnished the subject for this picture that was 

 used in Figures 42 and 44. To make Figure 43 and in Figure 44 the 

 bone was set at an angle, so that the bearing of the bit would show 

 as if seen from the front. 



