Curb Bit

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Curb Bit by an unknown artist is a metal piece of horse-riding equipment. The bit has a mouthpiece made of two curved, hinged pieces of metal that are held in the horse's mouth. The mouthpiece is silver-colored and has a decorative design. Attached to the mouthpiece are two cheek pieces, one on each side, which are connected to the headstall. The cheek pieces are adorned with gold-colored metalwork and feature a circular, ornate design on each side. The circular designs have a central element surrounded by a decorative border. Two chains hang from the bottom of the bit, one on each side. The background of the image is a solid gray color.