Bits for Horses

[Alison Arnold]

Does anyone know the type of bit in use for either driven or ridden horses circa 1914-1918? Also any idea of a modern day equivelent?

Hoping somebody can help.

Ali

[gnr.ktrha]

Hello,

I'm sure the main type of bit in use at this time was called the 1903 Universal Pattern, I will have to look it up though, to be sure. What I can tell you is that the same Bit is still in use with the Army. I served for 4 Years with the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery [A well known mounted unit in London] We used the same pattern of Bit.

I do have an old army training booklet on Horsemanship and Horse management, I will dig it out as I am sure there were a few diagrams of the equipment used.

I will try and get on to that to day.

Regards,

Stewart

[Alison Arnold]

Thanks for that Stewart. From what I have seen of the Kings Troop and The Royal Horse Artillery they have two reins which would look toward a type of pelham or double bridle.

Unfortunately i have not been unble to see an army bit in the flesh to know for sure.

Thanks

Ali

[CSMMo]

I'd be interested in seeing a photo of what was standard then, as I have my grandfather's horses bit along with his spurs and much more. I'll dig it out and photo it tomorrow.

Mike Morrison

[Alison Arnold]

Hi Mike

Thanks would love to see a photo. Could I be cheeky and ask you to measure between the bars ie the "bit" that actually went in the horses mouth please.

Ali

[themonsstar]

Hi Alison

There is a book on British Horses & Saddlery by Maj G. Tylden. It is an account of the animals used by the British & Commonwealth Armies from the Seventeenth Century to the Present Day (1965) with a description of their Equipment, with some very good photos.

Also the Handbook for Military Artificers prepared in the Ordnance College 1915, has lots of plates of Horses Eqpt.

[Andrew Upton]

Does anyone know the type of bit in use for either driven or ridden horses circa 1914-1918? Also any idea of a modern day equivelent?

Hoping somebody can help.

Ali

Ali:

This sort of came up in a thread last year - scoot down towards the bottom of the first page, and the top of the second, has a couple of line drawings of the standard WW1 bit and the rest of the rig it attaches to:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...opic=36808&st=0

If you're interested in buying one, I have a 1913 dated Canadian marked example for sale.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

The following two Bits I accquired with other Militaria,the first is steel & made by Blackwell of Oxford,& was with{again spurs,& badges & 1914~15 Star trio of a Stowmarket man who served with the CASC,Can Remounts & Can. Forestry Corps}

The second in Nickel,was by Swales,"Eglentine" Patent was amongst the kit of a RHA Major{started as Sergean WW1}MC,who my Dad billeted with in Swaffham during WW2,when he was based @ RAF Marham

[Alison Arnold]

Ali:

This sort of came up in a thread last year - scoot down towards the bottom of the first page, and the top of the second, has a couple of line drawings of the standard WW1 bit and the rest of the rig it attaches to:

Thanks Andrew I knew I had seen the information before but couldn't find it with search facility. Thanks that was just what I was looking for.

If you're interested in buying one, I have a 1913 dated Canadian marked example for sale.

Maybe I will PM you.

Harry,

Thanks for the photos the top one looks very severe but you would need good brakes on a horse.

The second one looks more like a Wilson Driving bit. Thanks for the information.

Ali

Edited 6 June , 2006 by Alison Arnold

[Ozzie]

The Light Horse had these, just for interests sake.

http://www.lighthorse.org.au/manual/8.html#bridle

Cheers

Kim

[6th Hauraki KIA KAHA]

Hi

I have a 1917 dated bit, But no time right now to photograph it, this is same as this.

We cant leave the N.Z.M.R out.

http://www.equusplazanz.com/abouthorses/up...its/page_01.htm

http://www.equusplazanz.com/abouthorses/nzmr/

Jonathan

[gnr.ktrha]

Hi

I have a 1917 dated bit, But no time right now to photograph it, this is same as this.

We cant leave the N.Z.M.R out.

http://www.equusplazanz.com/abouthorses/up...its/page_01.htm

http://www.equusplazanz.com/abouthorses/nzmr/

Jonathan

Hello,

That is exactly the same pattern of Bit and Head Collar I used in the Horse Gunners. I still have not found the offical designation for this Bit, but I am sure I have it somewhere. We always rode with two reins. We mainly controled the horse with the top rein, the lower one was there just to reinforce our commands. This pattern of Bit, in the untrained hands, can be a very harsh bit of kit. Many of the horses reacted badly to it when they first had one fitted. Also, depending on the horse, the rein would go through the Upper Bar, with the second going through the Center or Lower Bar

Of course we rode using only the left hand, the right was for carrying the sword, or drivers whip. The majority of our control over the horse was via our legs and seat.

The head collar is of an interesting design. The Bit and Bridlehead Short and long Pieces can be removed by the undoing of a single buckle, this leaves a leather Head Collar on the horse. The horse can then be tied up for the night, and be fed and watered etc.

regards,

Stewart

[Ozzie]

The old saying, 'Soft hands, soft mouth" comes into play with a bit like this.

Cheers

Kim

[CSMMo]

Now I am confused. What I have pictured I always considered a bit and as it was kept with my grandfather's WW1 uniforms and equipment (and he had no horses after the war) so I assumed it was Army issue. It is stamped "SOLID NICKEL" and "WONT RUST" (W worn off) with the letters 'R', 'E' & 'T' arranged in either circles or a cloverleaf to the right of 'Wont rust'.

Any ideas? My grandfather was an officer in a Mountain Battery, so a riding bit or a bit for use with the Highland ponies (later mules) that carried the cannons?

Mike Morrison

[gnr.ktrha]

Hello,

It is a Bit. It looks like a type I also used in the Army. It was used on a head collar we called a Watering Snaffle. This was the Head Collar/Bridle we used during morning exersize. We would ride one horse and lead two. On a Saturday morning we did it bearback! That was a good hangover cure All the bridles and bits were exactly the same, so it must have been of a Military sealed pattern. The Bit was none removable from the rest of the bridle.

Oh how I miss the smell of Ammonia first thing in the morning, Saddle soup by lunchtime and the comfort of nappy rash for the rest of the day very few people know that's why John Wayne walked that way.

Regards,

Stewart

[Alison Arnold]

Any ideas? My grandfather was an officer in a Mountain Battery, so a riding bit or a bit for use with the Highland ponies (later mules) that carried the cannons?

Mike Morrison

Full cheek snaffle is the modern equivilent. The cheeks help with steering which I can imagine you would need with a Highland pony

Thanks for all your answers they have all been very informative.

Ali

[fv1620]

1 Saddle, Luggage

2 Tugs, Backband

3 Bit

4 Numnah, Luggage

This is part of a display of Harness, ASC Converted circa 1915

Clive Elliott

[Pat Holscher]

We have some very extensive threads on this on The Military Horse Society forum, including a forum section dedicated to the Universal Pattern, the British military saddle. You might want to take a look there.

www.militaryhorse.org

[steenie]

The military bit's full designation is : Universal Pattern Port-mouth, Reversable Elbow bit. The bit is reversible because at one time, one side of the bar was ridged for more reculcitrant horses (if you look at the photograph above of the saddle and bit, you can see these ridges). The current issue of bit does not have this feature. Some people calll them Portsmouth bits but this is wrong. They are port mouthed. It is a mouthful (excuse the pun), to say Universal Pattern Port-Mouth Reversible Elbow bit, so in the armed forces this is shortened to the letters PMR.

[Arfer]

Just in case anyone is still looking for a picture of a PMR bit . . . . .

The modern version is smooth on both sides of the bit. I think Animal Rights don't like the idea of sharp bits in horses mouths !!

The following site sells new PMR's - http://www.rideanddrive.co.uk/bitsuk/pages/morebit1.htm

gnr.ktrha (Stewart) - It's good to see another fellow survivor of the King's Troop on these forums. )

[gnr.ktrha]

I thought I was the only one ! I was ex- Centre Section, D Sub.

Regards,

Stewart

[pmaasz]

The expertise of members shows itself once again! Well done everybody. My only contribution is: the rusty looking bit in the original post is very severe: the extremely high port and long shanks would make it pretty cruel except in the hands of the most sensitive rider/driver. The low port bits shown later are quite like the Western bits we use for our American Quarter Horses. The width of the bar is chosen to suit the width of the horse's mouth. Has that been said already?

[David Filsell]

Although there were standard bits - I am sure that many of the wide variety of others were used. Different horses respond to different bits. I am positive than many unauthorised versions were used because of rider and user preferences despite regs.. IE when 7th Infantry Division went to September Belgium in 1914 much of the transport was actually purchased civilian wagons and carts and the army suffered a shortage of tack (if that's the right word). It is my (amateur) understanding that horses grow to respect particular bits and respond better to some than others - thus it seems unlikely that these would have been changed - I may be wrong. The vast majority of horses both riding and heavy were purchased and it seems likely to me that they would heve been used with a bit they were used too. Horsemen and women may "know different". I am happy to be corrected.

[Arfer]

In my experience the standard army PMR can be a very kind bit in the hands of a good rider. In the King's Troop we very rarely used the bottom 'D' (the bottom hole on the bit) as this would produce the most severe lever action on the horses mouth. However, there were a few "special" horses that required a little extra stopping power, especially when galloping down Hyde Park ! I have attached a photo of me in my King's Troop days which shows the PMR in use. I'm the good looking one in the middle

I have also ridden with the double bridle (as used by the Household Cavalry). This involves placing 2 bits in the horses mouth. The bridoon is a simple snaffle bit and the curb is quite a severe bit with a similar action to the PMR. However, you don't use the bridoon rein to ride the horse. This rein is allowed to hand down loose whilst all of the riding is done on the curb rein. I have attached two pictures showing this method.

Stewart - I started in A Sub (Right Section), Posted to D Sub (Centre Section) after my Long Course, Moved to E Sub (Left Section), as well as a year at Larkhill as an Instructor.

[dekenai]

nice avatar Arfur

Double reins never really practical. Old means of having extra control over your mount if the enemy slashed your reins.

dekenai

also, Dulce Bellum Inexpertis