Horse bit : Victorian Military Forces

Brass and nickel-plated steel horse's curb bit used by the Victorian Military Forces circa 1885-93. The bit has a straight mouth with a low port, long 'S' bend cheek pieces held in place at the bottom by a curved bar, and a loose ring at the bottom of each cheek piece to take the curb reins. The top of the cheeks bear a fixed ring on each side to which the bridle would be fastened. Also attached to the cheeks are curb hooks with a double link curb chain. The short side of the cheeks, from which the 'S' curved pieces extend, are 115mm long and bear large brass decorative bosses with the badge of Victorian Military Forces, showing a cross bearing five stars within a circle bearing the motto 'AUT PACE AUT BELLO VICTORIA' surmounted by a crown. The bosses are attached to the cheeks by brass rivets. An indistinguishable manufacturer's mark is stamped inside the near side short cheek piece.

This curb bit, known simply as a 'bit' is one part of two bits, known collectively as a bit and bridoon, which were fitted into a horse's mouth together. The bridoon, a simple jointed snaffle had its own pair of reins and bore no decorative bosses. The action of the snaffle bit was milder than that of the curb, while the action of the curb was more severe when combined with the action of the curb chain behind the horse's jaw and the additional leverage created by the long cheek pieces. In Australia, during the late colonial period, c 1880 to 1900, the use of the bit and bridoon was mostly confined to officers. Most troopers preferred a single bit known as a Portsmouth which supposedly combined the actions of the bit and bridoon by using two pairs of reins, long cheek pieces and a curb chain.