B I T 



grand plaifir," to nave a bit conlh-i:£ted witli a low upfet, 

 and fufficitntly wide, v.ith large, cuuical, fmooth jcives for 

 the bars. 



Of the chain. The chain is the part ninft; cfitntiaily ne- 

 ceflary to give efTecl to all the other parts of the curb, and 

 may be placed, as we have already noticed, at any given 

 dillance above the mouth-piece ; its operation being more 

 powerful, as this diftance is exceeded by the length of tha 

 branches. This pofition, though true as a general principle 

 of reafoninj, appears to be ftibjeft to the operation of other 

 caufes in acttial practice, which it will be neceffary to con- 

 fider ; for, in direft contradiclion to this is the affrrtion of 

 I>Ii-. Bercnger, who appears to be aliroft the only writer 

 who has truly invelHgated the merits of this particular ob- 

 jetl. He obferves, in regard to this, that the nearer the 

 chain, and the longer the branches, the fofter and more in- 

 dulgent its operation. This, on a firft view, would appear 

 to be in direft. variance with the rules above laid down, and 

 irrecoixileable to the well known laws of the operation of 

 the lever, and even at variance with his own preceding afler- 

 tions ; when, however, we remember the cxp.-rience and 

 praftical knowledge of him who alferts it, it deferves a more 

 particular confideration ; let us firlt admit the truth of the 

 pofition, as it feems founded on the fure te!t of actual ex- 

 perience, and then we (hould venture the following as the 

 moft natural explanatioa of it. 



In proportion as the branches are longer, the more ex- 

 tenfive is the circuit their extrerriities perform in their 

 operation ; and therefore, the ha:id that guides them mull 

 pafs through a greater Ipace to produce t!ie fame effect : 

 and now, if the chain be placed very near to, or upon the 

 outfide of the mouth-picce, a:;d be applied not very tight 

 about the chin, yet, in reality, though there v/ould be an 

 apparent increafe of power by the kngdi of the branches, 

 they would have httle or no effeit, as they would arrive at 

 the utmoil extent to which they can be drawn, before the 

 chain would begin to pinch. On this account, the moll 

 lively efTcCls would be produced by the chain having more 

 fweep and extent of a£tion, and by the branches being not 

 quite fo long, as great length alfo adds fomething to their 

 flexibiuty, though not to a degree to be worth taking inta 

 the account. Still, however, the branches mull ever obey 

 the common laws of the lever, adting with force prop'.'r- 

 tioned to their length ; while Ihorter branches act with 

 greater quicknefs, and are more lively in their imprcfiion. 



Tl\e chain is fallened on one fide to the eye of the ban- 

 quet, where the head-ttall is fallened ; on the other, to a 

 hook hanging from the lame part. This chain, aj it is 

 at prefent ufed, is compofed of iron links or rings, fo beat 

 or indented, as to form, when put together, one uniform 

 nearly flat furface ; and thefe links, by tv.iiling or r.ntwil!:. 

 ing, may be made to prelcnt a furlace with any degree of 

 roughneis to the chin. 



AVhen great tendernefs is required, this chain- mav be 

 covered with leather or cloth ; or wliere a IHll greater deli- 

 cacy is defirable, the curb may be made wholly of leather, 

 without any chain. 



The larger and thicker the rings are, provided thev are 

 fmooth and well polifijed, the eaiitr the cffedl of the chain. 

 In old Englidi, tliis chain was called the klrUe ; and hence, 

 by contraction, kirh ; and finally, by an eafy tranlition of the 

 a ihto cu, we apprehend that the modern appellation of this 

 inflrument is obtained. 



Of the branches. The proportion which the cheek part bears 

 to the lower .-stremity of the branches, or rather the pofition 

 of the eye, to which the chain is fixed, determines the de- 

 gree of power of the bit upon the.principle before advanced j 



BIT 



that is, if ihe chain is fixed to the upper extrerrity of it, as 

 it utjally is to the traniverfc opening or eye of the head- 

 ilall. ' 



For the elementary view we are taking of the conflruc- 

 tion of the bits, it has been only coiifidtred as a ftraight, 

 phin lever of indeterminate length ; it is, however, in prac- 

 tice, often varied^ as in the army, ir is ufed of enormous 

 kngth, and frequently cnrvcd like the letter S, by which it 

 is conceived to be rendered more powerful, as well as 

 ornamental ; at other times the branch of the bit, with a 

 view of increafing its force, is carried forward with a fl.^rp 

 elbow, giving nearly the figure of the letter Z ; while by 

 others, with more reafon, to prevent the horfe from catch- 

 ing the bit in his mouth, it is made with an arch, or 

 femicircle, in the middle of the branch, like the letter C, 

 turned backwards for the fame purpofe ; flill, however, ia 

 fact, whether bent into that or any other fliape, it is the 

 length of the lever, and its (Irength, which alone give the 

 power; it is true, however, that a long curved branch, 

 though more powerful, will render the cfFrcl fomcwhat 

 fofter, 33 coming from a greater dillance, efpecially if the 

 branch is at all flexible and yielding, than it would by the 

 quick and rigid tffedl of a rtiortcr lever, made perfcftly 

 llraig-ht and inflexible : thefe branches may alfo be turned 

 or ber.t, not only backward or forward, but alfo outu-ards 

 and inward?. At their extremities, thofe turned outwards, 

 are faid to be (Irongell of any in their operation. 



As to the check-piece, or banquet, as it is called by the 

 French, for an appropriate name is vyanting to this part in 

 the Enghfli language ; the eye ol the banquet, fay the 

 horfemen, commands and gives efficiency to the reft of the 

 bit ; or, in other words, decides the diitaiice of the chain from 

 the mouth-picce, or centre of motion ; as, however, in 

 fpeaking of the other parts, we have had occaficn to intro- 

 diice a fufBoient account of this, it will not be liceeffary 

 farther to give it a feparate confideration ; nor will it be 

 ufeful to defcribe the numerous mongrel herd of bits en. 

 gendered of the fnafHe and curb, which are reducible to the 

 properties of one or the other, or partaking of both. 



The moll ufeful bit of the curbed kind, appears to be the 

 JVeymou:h-hit, which is at prefent in common ufe for draft 

 horfes of light work, as for carriages, coaches, &c. It con- 

 fills of a ilrong, plain mouth-piece, of uni^'orm thicknefs 

 throughout, without any tipfet or jeives, but is fimply 

 curved foivvards, to give liberty to the tongue : this kind 

 of conllrixtion is the fimplell perhaps that the curb admits 

 of. 



In concluding, it remains for us to notice the proper ap>. 

 phcrition and adjuftment of thefe bits to the hot^c"3 mouth, 

 and to treat of their real effefts. 



Ey the management of the head-ftall, the fnaffie b;«9 

 Ihould be fo adjulled as to fall h\ the middle fpace between 

 the tuihes and grinders, relling sjpon the bars : the mouth- 

 piece of the curb fho'ild alfo occupy the fame fituation ; 

 wl»cn, however, it is ufed alor^ with she fnsfffe, the bits of 

 the fnaffle (hould be placed higheft in the mcuih. 



It the bits are pkced too high in the mouth, the hsrfe 

 carries his head aloft ; if too \o\v, he Hoops the head, and 

 tries to catch tiiem in his teeth.. 



The thicker and more flcihy, and the wider or broader 

 the bm-s of the hnrfe, the rougher may be the mouth-piece 

 for the leaner and m.ore dslicate ; corfequently, the bits 

 fhould be k-fs ftvere. Care (hould alfo be taken that the 

 mouth-piece be wel? fuited to the fize and width of the mouth, 

 and be not too iiafrow, as this would give pain, by fqueezing 

 the bars together : if, on the contrary, it is very wide, it 

 reds with more force en the bars, without the int'cDafition 



of 



