Accoutrements for the Horse. 43 



to the headstall, to stay them in the mouth, and 

 having the chain attached to them ; and two other 

 rings at the lower extremity of the above branches 

 receiving the reins which pass to the hand. These 

 are all the parts really necessary to constitute the 

 curb. 



The bits thus formed being placed in the mouth, 

 and the chain passed round the lower jaw, the 

 branches, it will be readily seen, become powerful 

 levers when drawn backwards, acting upon the 

 mouth piece as a centre, and squeezing, by means 

 of the chain, whatever interposes between it and 

 the mouth piece, with a force equal to the length 

 of the lever afforded by the lower branch. 



From considering its mode of operating, it 

 might reasonably be doubted whether it does in 

 reality stop the horse by its power and opposed 

 force, as is generally conceived at present, or 

 rather by the severity of the pain it inflicts ; for 

 should the horse arm himself against this, it is 

 totally insufficient to arrest his course ; of which 

 instances occur in runaway horses every day. 



The most useful bit of the curbed kind appears 

 to be the Weymouth bit, which is at present in 

 common use for draffrnorses of light work, as for 

 carriages, coaches, &c. It consists of a strong, 

 plain mouth piece, of uniform thickness through- 



