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Breaking bit, buckled on to an ordinary bridle and used when 'breaking in' a horse. Used at Cowling Hill Farm, Bedale, Yorkshire, c.1880 -1940.
This is a breaking bit, which would have been buckled on to an ordinary bridle and used when 'breaking in' a horse. It is made of iron, and consists of a horizontal bar with rings at either end, and two parallel and slightly curved bars crossing the horizontal one. A small piece of iron hangs from the centre of the main bar. It was used at Cowling Hill Farm in Bedale, Yorkshire, from c.1880 -1940. It is thought to be blacksmith made.

1 horse bit: metal

MERL 'Handwritten catalogue' form – 'BIT (BREAKING) // [pencil sketch] // Iron', MERL Recording form – 'Who used it // P Corner, Cowling Hill, Bedale, Yorks. // When was it used // 1940 and for previous 60 years. // How was it used // Buckled on to ordinary bridle // Where was it used // At Cowling Hill // Has it a local name // No // When this object was used do you know if it was common in many parts of the country or only in the place from which it came // Probably local design (N. Yorks.) // Who made it // A blacksmith // ... From what materials is the object made // Iron...'

1880 - 1880