At first glance, this old metal contraption looks almost impossible to identify. The rectangular frame, worn leather strap, and funnel-shaped section could easily make someone think it belonged to an old machine or piece of farm equipment. But the lettering stamped into the metal gives away its real purpose. It reads “Dr. LeGear’s Stock Remedies,” and this object is an antique horse medicine bit, a veterinary tool designed to help administer liquid remedies to horses and other livestock. Similar examples are specifically cataloged under that name by antique auction houses.

The device was fitted around the animal’s mouth much like a bit, with the leather strap helping hold it securely in place. Medicine could then be poured through the funnel-like opening and directed into the horse’s mouth. For farmers dealing with a large animal that had no interest in swallowing a foul-tasting remedy, a tool like this could make the process much easier and safer than simply trying to pour medicine from a bottle.