Liverpool bit

A Liverpool bit, also known as a balloon bit, is a type of horse control bit of English origin. Like all bridle bits, it consists of a metal part, to which a curb chain can be attached. The Liverpool is characterized by its non-articulated barrel and circular bit ring, extended by two straight, flat metal side shanks, offering three places for attaching guides or reins. This makes it possible to vary the severity of the bit's pivoting action, more severe if guides or reins are attached low down in these slots.

The Liverpool bit is commonly used for combined driving, as well as for carriage harness, and more occasionally for mounted or unmounted presentations of draught horses. It requires careful adjustment, and can be painful for the animal if used incorrectly.

History and naming
The Liverpool bit is, as its name suggests, an English-designed bit invented in the UK in the 19th century. However, its principle of action and operation seems to have been known before that time, and applied to other bits of different shape and design. It was specifically designed for use in double harness, as other bits tended to pinch the horse's cheeks. Some varieties of Liverpool bits were better known as Manchester bits.

In French, this bit is commonly called "Liverpool (bit)", or more rarely and erroneously, "filet" (as it is not a snaffle bit). It was first used in France in the early 20th century: an issue of the Journal des Éleveurs, dated 1905, recommended using "the balloon or Liverpool bit" when driving in pairs (or "in double harnesses"). The name "balloon bit" was defined in 1977 as "a bridle bit for English-style driving with straight, one-piece barrels".

Description
The Liverpool bit can be considered a variety of the Pelham bit. It belongs to the curb bit family, the English word curb referring to "the placement of the bit in a horse's mouth in order to control it".

It is made from a single piece of metal. Straight and with long legs, it features a circular bit ring attached to each end of its central part (to prevent lateral slippage), topped by a smaller ring used to attach the bridle leather, and extended by two straight legs (also known as uprights) with three places for attaching the reins (called guides in harnessing practice), creating a more or less powerful leverage effect. The barrel, a metal part passing through the horse's mouth, can take a variety of shapes, but is not articulated. Like all bridle bits, the Liverpool operates on a pivoting lever principle, applying varying degrees of pressure on the horse's jaw, which is transmitted by the curb chain, a small metal chain passing under the jaw. Two anchoring points are designed to receive the curb chain. The use of the curb chain is not mandatory, though, as some particularly sensitive horses may react to the bit without its use. The severity of this bit on the horse depends on three factors:


 * the positioning of the reins, or guides, among the four available attachment points (see above);


 * the experience of the rider or driver holding the reins or guides;


 * the tightness of the curb chain.

The lower the reins are attached to the bit, the greater the leverage created, and the more severe the bit. The first possible attachment position, known as plain cheek, is located in the bit ring, and is only used when coupling several pairs of reins (e.g. in the case of Martingale). The second position, directly under the bit ring or around the branch at the bit ring, is called rough cheek or lady's curb respectively. The next position is commonly known as the middle bar. The last, known as the bottom bar or full curb position, is the most severe setting.

Usage
The Liverpool bit is widely distributed and used for combined driving: it is almost exclusively reserved for this use today,  and is particularly popular for use on draught horses.

In combined driving
The Liverpool bit is particularly recommended for training young driving horses, and for tempering less respectful animals, as it is reputed to make horses more responsible. In fact, the severity of the bit can be adapted to the sensitivity of each individual horse. What's more, the majority of driving horses seem to tolerate this type of pivoting bridle bit well. In this discipline, the Liverpool is mainly used with a single pair of guides placed in one of the four slots available.

Other uses
It's also a popular bit for draught horse shows, allowing considerable control of head carriage height: in English-speaking countries, the Liverpool bit is commonly supplied with the show bridle, sometimes in combination with a martingale rein.

Sometimes, when mounted, two pairs of reins are attached, one in the bit ring, the other in one of the three remaining slots. When using a martingale, particularly if it is intended to lift the head, the reinset should only be attached in the first place of the branches (the rough cheek), and not in the ring of the Liverpool bit, so that the effect of the reinset does not conflict with the lowering effect of the bit.

Settings and safety
A bit should be chosen to match the width of each horse's mouth, leaving half an inch of space on each side between the bit ring and the jaw, to prevent the horse's molars from being pushed against its cheeks (which can cause injury). Indeed, the bit can be severe, and because of its shape, can in some cases cause internal injuries in the horse's cheeks or jaw, if metal parts rub against them.