130 THE PRACTICAL HORSE KEEPER. 



contrary, however; for unfortunately, as lias been truly re- 

 marked, from sheer carelessness and ignorance, a great deal of 

 cruelty is daily practised on the horses of the higher and richer 

 classes, in the way of ill-proportioned, ill-shaped, and ill-fitting 

 bits, which, adjusted in a manner that converts them into 

 instruments of torture, cultivate vice and create unsoundness. 



Bad bits and bitting cause " hard mouths, make horses 

 restless and runaways, and often seriously damage the lower 

 jaw." 



Whatever may be the shape of the bit, it should be light 

 and properly fitted to the mouth. When too large it is almost 

 as injurious as when too small. The mouthpiece should be 

 exactly the width of the mouth, so that it fits close to the 

 outer surface of the lips ; most of the bits in use are too wide 

 in this part, and if they have a port this fault is exaggerated 

 in its ill efiects. 



The bit should also be in its proper place in the mouth, a 

 short distance above the tush. If a curb-chain is employed, 

 this ought to be rather loose than otherwise, and it should be 

 somewhat broad. 



The bits in ordinary use are the plain snaffle, the ring-snafBe, 

 curb-bits, of various patterns — as the " Buxton," " Liverpool," 

 " Chifney," etc., all of which have their admirers, and are 

 adapted for different kinds of mouths, as well as to suit the 

 hands of different drivers. 



Perhaps no part of the horse's harness has given rise to 

 more discussion than the use of the " bearing-rein." The ob- 

 ject of this piece of harness is to relieve the strain on the 

 driver's hands when the horse is impetuous through high 

 feeding and insufficient work, knocks his head about, and is 

 inclined to be fidgety and unmanageable. It is also of service 

 in preventing the horse rubbing his head against the end of the 

 shaft, or the pole (if in double harness), and so getting his 

 bridle fixed, which might lead to serious consequences. Horses 



