MARTINGALES. 219 



be improvised by passing the reins under the horse's 

 neck through a single ring, or through two rings 

 attached together by a strap. This arrangement is 

 sometimes called an Irish martingale. 



Its disadvantage is that, when it is employed, the 

 horse cannot be as readily turned to the right or to 

 the left as when the running martingale is used, because 

 the lateral pull of either rein will not be in a straight 

 line, unless, indeed, the other one be let go altogether ; 

 — an action which would be utterly opposed to good 

 horsemanship. 



The standing martingale is attached to the noseband ; 

 or, its billets at each side may be fixed to the snaffle 

 rings. The latter form is a very useful preventative of 

 rearing. The standing martingale should, as a rule, be 

 used only with horses that require some such restraint 

 to prevent them from stargazing, " chucking " up their 

 heads, rearing, or for feats of manege riding. Its use for 

 keeping a horse's head down, within proper limits, can in 

 no way be dangerous, even when " crossing a country," 

 for a horse is most certainly safer when he is compelled to 

 look where he is going, than when he is allowed to stare 

 straight up into the sky. This form of the martingale, 

 with a troublesome horse that requires its employment, 



