Horse bit
Name/Title
Horse bitEntry/Object ID
2025.1.1116Description
A solid nickel horse's bit. 'Solid nickel' is stamped onto the bit.Context
Historically bitting horses dates back 5000 years. Bits would have been made from sinew, bone, horn rope, leather or wood. Through the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Steel Age, bitting materials changed with time seeing more substantial bits made from metals of these ages. Nickel was a cheap popular metal used for bitting in the late 1800s until the 1940s. Steel became standard from the 1940s largely as it was more durable, however rusted quickly. Modern bits now use a wide variety of materials, typically stainless steel, copper, synthetic mateirals, leather and titanium.Cataloged By
Felix LamCategory
Horse Welfare and Farriers
Animal Husbandry