BRIDLES. 229 



branch acts as the part of the plank fastened 

 down ; the bars of the horse's mouth represents the 

 gate-post laid down as the fulcrum or balance ; and 

 the lower branch of the bit as that part of the plank 

 we press on — in fact, the lever. 



By this, I trust, it will be seen that it is the force 

 of lever we get by the length of the lower branch of 

 the bit that causes its severity. The enormous bits 

 we frequently see (and did see formerly far more than 

 now) in the mouths of carriage-horses are preposte- 

 rous ; they defeat the purpose for which they are 

 designed. By making the upper branch so high (or 

 long) the lower one is obliged to be made of unusual 

 length, to correspond. Let them cut off an inch or 

 two from the length of the upper branch, the bit 

 would become more severe. The length only car- 

 ries the curb-chain higher up the jaw, without pro- 

 ducing any good thereby. 



It is with many objected that a short upper branch 

 permits the bit (as it is called) " to draw under the 

 chin," that is, to draw too obliquely in the horse's 

 mouth ; it would do so if the curb was left the same 



