The Lcvei'^ the Bit and Curb^ etc. 169 



fulcrum, and renders the best-constructed bit uncertain, 

 or even still worse, in its action. (See fig. 11.) 



The only certain way of attaining this perfect pain- 

 lessness of the curb, on which so much depends, is — sup- 

 posing, of course, this latter to be properly constructed 

 and of the requisite dimensions — hy f lacing the Jiioztth- 

 picce on that part of the bars exactly opposite to the 

 chin-groove; it is only in this position that we have the 

 right-handed triangle, e d b^ shown in fig. 11. But there 

 is another reason for this : we find here the portion of 

 the bar of the horse's mouth best suited for the action 

 of the mouth-piece — that space that intervenes between 

 the grinders and the tusks, where these exist. With 

 respect to the latter, it is necessary to mention that there 

 is great irregularity as to their position in the mouth, 

 some horses having them relatively higher, others 

 lower ; nor do the tusks of the upper jaw always corre- 

 spond with those of the lower one, and mares have very 

 frequently no tusks whatever ; it is, therefore, quite 

 impossible to determine the proper place for the mouth- 

 piece w^ith reference to these teeth, although even the 

 cavalry regulations continue to do so : the chin-groove, 

 in consequence of its relation to the action of the curb, 

 is the essential point to be considered. 



Almost all the defects and absurdities of bits and bit- 

 ting may be traced to ignorance of, or inattention to, this 

 v^ery simple rule. A man puts a bit into his horse's 

 mouth — let us suppose that it is a well-proportioned one 

 in every respect ; he fixes it at the prescribed " inch 

 above the lower tusk" if he be a soldier, or draws it up 

 into the angle of the lips if he be a civilian : he may just 

 happen to hit off the right place, and if so, even an ill- 

 shaped bit will work tolerably ; he is content with his 

 work, and thinks he has mastered the difficulty. But 

 in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred the mouthpiece 

 lies higher than it should ; and if, in addition to this, 



15 



