184 Bits and Bitti)?g. 



has been explained in detail in the preceding pages. 

 We may say, then, that the average height of the bar of 

 the horse's mouth being if inches, the upper bar of tlie 

 bit need never be longer, except, perhaps, in very rare 

 instances of horses iS liands high and upward ; and this 

 gives us 32^ inches for the lower bar, and for both a total 

 of 5i inches, measured from where the curb-hook rests 

 in the upper ring to where the lower ring plays in its 

 sockets. For ponies or small hacks these dimensions 

 must be reduced to ij inches upper bar, 3 inches lower 

 bar, and total length of bit 4] inches. These are the 

 only fixed dimensions that can be safely given ; the re- 

 maining equally important ones are variable, and must 

 be ascertained b}- measurement in the way to be pres- 

 ently pointed out. 



Let us now suppose that we have ascertained the ex- 

 act width of the horse's mouth and also the proper form 

 of the mouthpiece : we then have the length of the curb 

 without hooks equal 072cc a?id a quarter the width of 

 the horse's mouth, and the curb-hooks equal in length 

 three-fourths upper bar of bit, which will bring the total 

 length of curb and hooks up to once and a halj" the 

 same dimension ; and it only remains to put the bit and 

 bridle in their proper places. 



We have already shown how much depends on the bit 

 being placed accurately. A quarter or even an eighth 

 of an inch higher or lower makes all the difference in 

 the world. The headstall or cheekpieces of the bridle 

 must, therefore, afford all the necessary facilities in the 

 way of buckles and straps for this purpose. Military 

 bridles and harness have nearly always two pairs of these 

 — that is, one pair by means of which the bit is attached 

 to the cheekpiece of the bridle by its upper rings, and a 

 second in the cheekpieces themselves, for the purpose 

 of regulating their length ; and both pairs may be em- 

 ployed to determire tlie height at which the bit is «;us- 



