188 



RUNNING AWAY. 



Fig. 246.— The Half-moon Bit Adjusted. 



A valuable form of bit, and one which, works exceedingly 

 well for the control of some headstrong, pulling horses, is a 



simple bar made flat 

 or concave on one side, 

 and rounded on the 

 other, from five eighths 

 to three fourths of an 

 inch wide, with a piece 

 of rounded leather in- 

 side the ring on each 

 end, as shown in Figs. 

 249 and 250. The flat 

 or concave side is used 

 when the horse pulls, 

 or is inclined to resist 

 the bit. When the 

 mouth is sensitive and 

 manageable, simply 

 turning the rounded 

 side against the jaw makes it extremely easy on the mouth. The 

 length must be regulated to the size of the mouth, or about the 

 average length of driving-bits. 



Four-Ring Bit. 



The Four-ring Bit, Figs. 123, 124, full explanation of which is 

 given in Chapter II., page 94, which can be referred to, is peculiar in 

 respect to the sensibility it causes upon the mouth. While it is not 

 a bit that gives much direct power, the effect is such that but few 

 horses, outside of lunging, runaway horses, can successfully pull 

 against it. Hence a horse that with an ordinary bit may pull so 

 hard as to make it extremely difficult to restrain or control him, 

 more especially one that as he warms up will pull harder, will some- 

 times scarcely pull at all upon this bit, driving so easily as to hardly 

 straighten the reins. 



It is not, however, to be risked too much in the driving of a 

 really dangerous horse ; for, as before stated, its success depends 

 more upon the sensibility it causes upon the roof of the mouth than 

 upon any -real power it otherwise gives. Consequently, should the 

 horse lunge recklessly against the bit, the pain it inflicts not being 

 sufficient to hold him in check, he is liable to get away. When 

 used upon a doubtful horse, he should be carefully tested with it, 

 first by driving around a little in harness, then as described in the 



