The Teeth and The Bit
When fitting a bit to a horse, along with a bridle, the normally metal bar of the bit lies in the interdental space between the incisors (or canines, where present) and premolars. If the bridle is adjusted so that the bit rests too low, or too high, it may push against the teeth and cause discomfort.
Sometimes, a "bit seat" is filed in the first premolar, where the surface is rounded so that the flesh of the cheek is not pushed into the sharp edge of the tooth, making riding more comfortable for the horse, although the practice is controversial.
Read more about this topic: Horse Teeth
Famous quotes containing the words teeth and/or bit:
“An Indian’s teeth are strong, and I noticed that he used his often where we should have used a hand. They amounted to a third hand.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The ordinary man—we have to face it: it is every bit as true of the ordinary Englishman as of the ordinary American—is an Anarchist. He wants to do as he likes. He may want his neighbor to be governed, but he himself doesn’t want to be governed.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)