Betting is the act of laying a wager, or making a deposit of money, by two persons of contrary opinions, for one to become the winner, upon the decision of some public or popular event; and that so fashionable a mode of terminating disputes may meet with but little difficulty or obstruction, bets are made with as much deliberation, and discharged by the SPORTING WORLD with as much integrity, as the most important transactions of the commercial part of society in the first city of the universe. Betting has of late years been reduced to a system, by which there are now many professors in existence, who were originally of the very lowest order; but, by an indefatigable and persevering industry at Newmarket, the cockpit, and the gaming table, have acquired princely possessions, by the unexpected honour of being admitted to princely association. Where two opponents deposit each an equal sum (whether five pounds or five hundred) upon any event whatever, it is then termed an even bet. An offer of six to four, implies the odds in direct ratio of six pounds to four, twelve to eight, sixty to forty; or in that proportion to any amount. Betting two to one, is laying ten pounds to five, twenty to ten, and so forth; one depositing exactly double the amount of his adversary's stake; three, four and five to one being regulated in the same way. The latter are all termed laying the odds, which vary according to the predominant opinions of the best judges upon the probable termination of the event; one rule being invariable, the person betting the odds (or, in other words, the larger sum against the smaller) has always the privilege of taking his choice in preference to his adversary, against which no appeal can ever be made with a decision in its favor.
Any person proposing a bet to another during the running of a horse, the fighting of a cock, or any other transaction, the party applied to, saying "done," and the proposer replying "done" also, it then becomes a confirmed bet, and cannot in sporting etiquette and honour be off, or revoked, but by mutual consent. No bet above ten pounds can be sued for and recovered in our courts of law; the payment of all losings above that sum must depend entirely upon the sporting integrity of the parties concerned.
BISHOPING
—is an operation performed upon the teeth of a horse, and supposed to have derived its modern appellation from an eminent and distinguished dealer of the name of Bishop; whether from any peculiar neatness in, or reputed celebrity for, a personal performance of the deception, it is most probably not possible (or necessary) to ascertain. The purport of the operation is to furnish horses of ten or twelve years old with a regeneration of teeth, bearing the appearance of five or six, and is thus performed. The horse being powerfully twitched by both the nose and the ears, a cushioned roller (large enough to keep the jaws extended) is then placed in the mouth; which done, the teeth of the under jaw are somewhat reduced in their length (according to their growth) by the friction of a whitesmith's cutting file: an engraver's tool is then employed in taking away as much from the centre of the surface of each tooth as will leave a conspicuous cavity in the middle; this cavity (or rather every individual cavity) is then burned black with an iron instrument red hot, and adapted to the purpose; a composition of cement is then insinuated, so well prepared in both colour and consistence, that it is frequently not discoverable (at least to slight observers) for many months after its introduction.
BITCH
—is the feminine of the canine species, in contra-distinction to dog. It is sometimes used in a similar sense with respect to foxes, where the female is termed a bitch fox; though a vixen is the more sportsman-like appellation. Bitches are sometimes spayed, to prevent their farther propagation: it requires judgment and expertness in the operation, the best time for which is about a week after the heat is gone off.
BITS
—are of different kinds, formed of iron, and constitute the mouth-part of bridles of every denomination, whether in carriage harness, or for use on the turf, in the chase, or upon the road. The single large-mouthed bit, first used with colts in breaking, is known by the name of mouthing-bit: the same shaped bit, but of a much smaller size, with a small cheek of about three inches long, is called a piped cheek snaffle. A single bit, having a curb, and a cheek of five or six inches long, with one rein only, and that inserted to the bottom of the cheek, is termed a hard and sharp, and with justice; it is one of the worst inventions ever adopted, never seen in use with a sportsman, and only calculated for vicious run-away horses, not to be stopped by any common means. A bit of the same form, having eyes for two reins, one on each side the mouth-piece, and others at the lower extremity of the cheek, are called pelhams, as a favourite bit of the old Duke of Newcastle. A bridoon is a small snaffle, or mouth-piece, having no other cheek than a circular eye to receive the rein into the same headstall, with which is stitched a roller-mouthed polished port bit, having a cheek of four, five or six inches in length, according to fancy, or the mouth of the horse: the rein to this bit is affixed to the lower extremity of the cheek, and, in conjunction with the bridoon, constitutes the double reined bridle, called a Weymouth, mostly in use.
BITES
—frequently happen to sporting dogs as well as to horses, but much more frequently to the former, by poisonous insects that are, as well as many not known. Means of relief must of course be regulated by immediate appearances: in great inflammation, bleeding, and external emollients, are of good effect: in bites of the viper, its own fat liquified, and to be had at the medical shops as the "oil of vipers," is acknowledged a certain antidote.