A new method, and extraordinary invention, to dress horses, and work them according to nature as also, to perfect nature by the subtility of art, which was never found out, but by ... William Cavendishe ...

OF BITTS, & of the USE OF THEM.

THe Writers of Books, and the Horse-men now Living, that think themselves Wise, and great Masters, by the diversity of Bitts, shew themselves full of Ignorance, and Simple People, to imagine, That a peice of Iron in a Horse's Mouth can bring him Knowledge; no more than a Book in a Boyes Hand can, at first, make him Read; or, a pair of Spurrs, planted on Ignorant Heels, can make one Ride well.

There is however, a Propriety to fit every Horse, according to the Turn of his Neck; shor∣ter or longer, wider or narrower; the Mouth, the liberty, wider or narrower; the Eye longer or shorter; the Eye straight, or more bending; the Branches stronger, or weaker; the Curb equal; the Hooks according to the just measure of the

Bitt; the Curb three good round Esses, with one Ring, where 'tis Fastened; and two Rings, or Malions, where 'tis Curbed, handsomely furnish'd with Bosses, not too bigg; richer, or poorer, ac∣cording as you please: Not two Rowes of little Chains, tied to the Bitt, within his Mouth, on∣ly One at the most.

And this Rule must ever be Observ'd, to have as little Iron in your Horse's Mouth as possible you can: If his Tongue be too bigg, the Liberty must be the wider; if his Tongue be too little, the Li∣berty the less; but you must take heed, that the Apuy, or Resting place of the Bitt, be never made upon the Liberty, for it will Gaul him; but the Apuy must be made in the True place, where it ought to be, which is about Ones Little Fingers breadth beyond the Liberty, on both sides of the Bitt; and the Bitt to be Ones Fingers breadth above his Tushes: The Branches are strong, when the Reyns are slackt; those Branches that comes Back to his Neck most, are Weak; those that go Forward from his Neck, are Strong; and good reason, for you have the greater Pull.

You must measure with a little String, or a piece of a Riding-Rod, from the Eye of the Bitt, strait Down; and if the Cheeks be within that Line, they are Weak; and the more they are within that Line, they are still the Weaker: If the Cheeks be without that Line, they are Strong; and the more they are without that Line, they are the Stronger.

You must consider another Thing, which is, That the Cheeks are like a Lever, the Longer it is, it hath the more Force, and the Shorter it is, the less Force; for a Boy, with a long Lever, will Lift up more than the Strongest Man, with a short Lever: And so in a Bitt, the Longer the Cheeks are, they have the more Force, and the Shorter they are, the less Force: For that which is the furthest from the Center, hath the most Force for Lifting or Pulling; and that which is nearest the Center, the least Force: So very short Cheeks, make them as Strong as you will, cannot have that Force that longer Cheeks have.

If a Horse hold Up his Head, and Out, then they have shorter Branches, and stronger, to Pull

him Down, and In; wherein they are half Right: So if a Horse holds his Head too Low, and brings it In too Round, so that he Armes himself against the Bitt, which is, To rest the Branches upon his Breast, so that you have no Pull, or Command of him at all; because this Vice is Contrary to holding Up his Head, and Out; for which Vice they had shorter Cheeks, and stronger, to bring it In: So Arming against the Bitt, being the Contrary Vice, they think they must have the Bitt made Contrary; they must have a Long One to put it Up; and since a strong Branch pull'd him Down, they must have a weak Branch to put Up his Head; wherein they are mightily Deceived: For when a Horse Armes himself against the Bitt, certainly Long Branches will sooner come to his Breast, than Short Ones; and it is as certain, that a Weak Branch will come sooner to his Breast, than a Strong Branch; therefore they are so much Deceived.

As for a Horse that Armes himself against the Bitt, you must have a Short Branch that will not touch his Breast, and a Strong Branch to keep It

yet further from his Breast: The Hooks of the Curb ought to be made a little Longer, and so Just as not to Hurt, or to Offend the sides of his Cheeks; and if the Curb do not lye in his right Place, two little Iron Rings fastened close to the Top of the Hooks, to keep them Steady, and Fast, is the best Remedy; All other Devices in Bitts or Curbs, are Idle and Ignorant things.