202 BIT CH. XI 



it is in one of the holes in the branch, it is said to 



be 'in the upper, middle, or lower bar,' and the 



lower it is, the more effect it has. 



The rein is sometimes buckled round the branch 



inside of the ring, and below the mouth-piece (Fig. 

 89), when it acts, perhaps, like a mild 

 curb bit ; but this arrangement pre- 

 vents the play of the mouth-piece up 

 and down, and does not have any 

 compensating advantage. The bil- 

 let being constantly wetted by the 



horse's mouth is soon rotted. The 

 Fig. 89. 



branches of the bit may be joined 

 at the lower ends by a bar, as shown in B. This 

 bar prevents a horse from catching the end of the 

 branch in the bridle of his partner when he tosses 

 his head, and such bits may be used on the lead 

 horses. On the wheel horses, this bar might be 

 caught in the hook of the pole-chain, and it is there- 

 fore better not to use bar bits on the wheel horses. 



Either style of bit may be used on all four horses, 

 but bits with bars on the wheelers, and bits without 

 bars on the leaders, in the same team, are decidedly 

 wrong. 



To prevent a horse from taking the branch of his 

 bit in his lips, the elbow bit, C, is used ; the bend in 

 the branch serves the same purpose as a lip strap on 

 a riding bridle. In this bit the shank, if it passes 

 loosely through the mouth-piece, must be square, or 

 else the coupling-rein will pull it out of position. 



