16 THE ART OF 



to which the branches are attached, the ends 

 of the mouth-piece, and the part which rests 

 directly on the horse's nether jaw, the heel. 



After having much diversified the form of 

 the bit, three of the principal ones are now 

 generally adopted, to wit ; the simple bit, 

 broken in the middle, which renders it the 

 mildest mouth piece ; the bit " a trompe," or 

 of a single piece lightly bent to an obtuse 

 angle, which is the severest of all ; the pigeon 

 throat bit, " a gorge de pigeon," or free 

 tongue bit, is sufficiently bent, so that the 

 tongue can lodge in the empty space in the 

 middle. This last is the most generally used ; 

 the bit with the canon, simple or broken, is 

 more suitable for young horses, that are not 

 yet much accustomed to feel the iron in their 

 mouths. 



" Nothing is more important to a rider, 

 than to know the effect of different bits upon 

 the mouth of his horse, for it is on the manner 

 with which this part of the bridle is regulated, 

 that the obedience of the horse, and often the 

 security of the rider, depends. 



*' This knowledge is acquired by habit ; 

 we often attribute to the insufficiency of the 



