( 243 ) 



CHAPTER VIII. 



RACING SADDLERY. 



Bridles— Martingales — Saddles — Stirrup Irons — Stirrup Leathers 

 and Webs — Lead Cloths — Weight Jackets and Belts — Adjust- 

 ment of the Racing Gear. 



Bridles. — Unless in very exceptional cases, the ordinary 

 plain or chain snaffle is the only kind of bit which should 

 be used with the racehorse. The thin racing snaffle 

 teaches him to pull, while the curb tends to make him 

 raise his feet too high, and bend his knees too much, 

 in other words, to gallop " round " (see page 201). In 

 cases of doubt, a double bridle may be used, so that 

 in the event of the rider not being able to hold his 

 horse with the bridoon, he may have the bit reins 

 ready to take up. Horses which can be held with a 

 snaffle, gallop, as a rule, in far better form in it, than 

 in a double bridle, even when the bridoon alone is 

 used ; tiie very presence of the curb seeming to deter 

 them from going boldly up to their bridle. 



R 2 



