42 Accoutrements for the Horse. 



useful in preventing the bit from being drawn 

 through the mouth. 



To give the greatest ease possible, a large and 

 highly polished bit is necessary. 



On the other hand, to give the greatest degree 

 of severity to the mouth piece of the snaffle, it is 

 twisted while hot into a spiral form, and is made 

 to present by this means a sharp, rough, and un- 

 equal surface to the jaw, being capable, according 

 to the degree of sharpness to which the edges are 

 wrought of pressing the bars or lips with greater 

 or less severity. The different degrees of punish- 

 ment which this kind of bit is capable of inflicting, 

 will perhaps be found sufficient for all the purposes 

 of correction. 



The next kind of bit in use for horses is the 

 curbed bit, which, as it is an instrument of much 

 greater complication of parts than the snaffle, so 

 it appears to have been of comparatively recent 

 date. 



Stripped of all unnecessary trappings, this in- 

 strument consists of the following essential parts : 

 — a mouth piece ; two side branches, or inflexible 

 rods of iron, firmly fixed to the former ; a chain 

 passing from side to side, behind the chin, includ- 

 ing the jaw ; two eyes or rings at the upper ex- 

 tremity of these branches, serving to fasten them 



