FOUR -RING, OR UPPER JAW BIT. 95 



reins which are attached to the outside rings are pulled upon, the 

 center of the bit will be forced upward against the roof of the mouth, 

 producing such acute pain that but few horses can pull against it 

 with much force. 



This bit has been in very general use for a number of years, but 

 I do not know when or by whom it was invented. Frank Leslie, of 

 Leslie's Weekly, who witnessed some of my experiments in New York 

 City, told riie that while in Europe he saw an illustration of such a 

 bit in an old Grecian work. While the bit works fairly well when 

 not pulled upon very hard, its power would be almost wholly lost by 

 the rings sliding to the ends of the bars if the resistance against it 

 were at all severe. To prevent this I devised an obstruction to the 

 rings at a certain point, beyond which they cannot slide. (See Figs. 



Fig. 134. — Improved Four-ring Bit. Patent Applied tor. 



123, 124.) By this Improvement the bit will rest easily and naturally 

 in the mouth, yet be held firmly in place in spite of any degree of 

 pulling upon it. 



This bit will usually work well upon hard pullers and side- 

 reiners, especially those that, as they warm up, have more inclina- 

 tion to lug or pull. I have known many horses that would pull so 

 hard! upon a common bit as to draw the wagon by the reins, yet 

 would, by the use of this bit, when properly adjusted, submit to an 

 easy rein. It is also one of the simplest and safest means to make a 

 horse stand to be shod. For this purpose, when the bit is in the 

 mouth, take* a common War Bridle cord, tie one end into the near 

 ring, and pass through the opposite ring till taut, and tie. Then 

 bring the cord around the horse's neck as for Second Form of War 

 Bridle, with the cord well back upon, the neck, and pass down back 

 of the jaw. -This will be found of special value to horse-shoers, 

 because, with rare exceptions, it compels most horses bad to shoe 

 to stand gentle while being shod. 



The main point of success in this bit is, first, in having it made 

 right, as shown — the bars a little longer than the ordinary bit, and 

 either constructed so that there is an obstruction at the ring at the 



