Trooper's "Loose Ring" Bit (eastern arsenals): Note absence of "lip" bar. Bits excavated from the eastern sites usually (but not always) do not have a lip bar. This one was dug from the Richmond battlefields area. Another nearly identical bit was dug at Brandy Station. For more information and photos of this and other patterns of CS bits see the book "Confederate Saddles and Horse Equipment" By Ken R. Knopp (see home page).