CHAPTER IV. 



THE LEVER — THE BIT AND CURB — BITTING — THB, 

 BRIDLE. 



WITH a phiin, smooth snaffle there is no question 

 of lever action ; the amount of power appHed to 

 the reins is conveyed unaltered in quantity to the ani- 

 mal's mouth ; to use a scientific expression, there is 

 none of that mechanical advantage obtained which a 

 mechanical power alone is capable of conferring. But 

 if we combine Seeger's running-rein, which acts on the 

 principle of a movable pulley, a certain amount of 

 power applied to that rein will produce double the effect 

 on the mouth that it would if applied to the snaffle-rein 

 alone. 



A still greater amount, however, of mechanical ad- 

 vantage may be obtained by means of a lever ; and a 

 bit. furnished with a curb of a proper length, acts as 

 such. There are, however, several kinds of levers, and 

 it will depend altogether on the manner in which the 

 bit and curb are arranged whether we obtain a lever 

 action that is favorable to us or quite the contrary ; it is 

 therefore necessary to say a word or two on the princi- 

 ples of lever action. 



In the first order of levers the power is applied at 

 one end, the weight being placed at the other, and the 

 fulcrum or prop between the two, dividing thus the 

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