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Contemporary equestrian manuals describe this type of bit as severe, designed for lifting up the head of a horse with a hard or bad mouth. The elegant S-shaped shanks, with their diamond terminals, are typical of the bits made around the 1530s in Western Europe.
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Title: Curb Bit
Date: ca. 1530–40
Culture: French or German
Medium: Iron alloy
Dimensions: H. 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm); W. 6 in. (15.2 cm); Wt. 2 lb. 10.4 oz. (1202 g)
Classification: Equestrian Equipment-Bits
Credit Line: Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913
Accession Number: 14.25.1794
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