Horse bit maybe?

[freddy78]

A friend of mine sent this to me and we think it's maybe a bit but not sure. If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated thanks

 

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[old digger]

Some more and better photo's would help.

 

[BosnMate]

I'd like a couple of more pictures from different angles, but I do think it's about half of a bit for a saddle horse bit.

 

[freddy78]

Here are a few more

 

[nhbenz]

Same pattern can be seen in this search: antique brass horse bit star - Google Search

 

[freddy78]

Not letting me see any comments on my post

 

[IowaHaze]

Yes, that's one half of a half-cheek, jointed snaffle bit. Almost certainly used on a harness horse, where a half-cheek is most common. A riding horse may also go in a snaffle, but it would be a ring (more common) or full-cheek style. Quite a fancy cheekpiece- that wasn't a regular workaday field harness. Though I can't tell the side for sure, I'm guessing it's a 4-5" bit (which are measured from inside of the cheekpiece to the opposite cheekpiece. Which would mean it was used on a light carriage horse, not a draft farm horse (whose bit would be much larger, 6-7")