CAVALRY OR MILITARY BIT. 73 



effective men, and wagons and horses not needed — are sent 

 to the rear to lighten up and disencumber the army in the 

 field, we projoose abandoning the watering bridle with 

 the rest, and thus obeying the mandate of a necessity and 

 ages of experience, place our reliance on the altered regu- 

 lation bridle to the Pelham plan with two reins, as pro- 

 posed and shown in the foregoing cut with rings for bri- 

 doon reins. 



If expedition in saddling up be any advantage, we gain 

 on it by having only one instead of two bits to put on ; 

 and, although the time it would take in camp to put on 

 an extra bit be but a moment, yet that moment, when 

 suddenly attacked at a disadvantage at an outpost in war, 

 could ahvays be turned to better account in preparing to 

 repel the attack of a cavalry force yelling like demons on 

 its approach, within fifty yards, perhaps, of the post, than 

 in fooling with a dispensable article that had better be at 

 home. It may be said by a strict discii3linarian that a 

 cavalry force should not be surprised ; this is true, but 

 surprises have taken place and always will while wars are 

 possible. A horse can drink ail he wants with even two 

 bits in his mouth, and to carry an extra bit all day for 

 the sake of its convenience to the horse in two minutes' 

 drinking every twenty-four hours, is certainly not an 

 equivalent to the relief from its use and care. If the bits 

 were kept with a steel polish, as in the civil service, there 

 might be a good reason for using the bridoon bit on 

 fatigue duty to spare the curb bit from dirt and rust after 

 it was hung up clean and ready for parade ; but we see 

 no other valid excuse, so long as the curb bit with two 

 reins will answer t\\e purpose. 



Experience in war relieves an army of a vast deal of 

 unnecessary encumbrance, which is added to by the ap- 

 parent necessity for small and trifling things carried with 

 it as a convenience for each individual composing it. An 

 army thus encumbered is like a written speech ; it loses 



