158 BITS AND BITTING. 



a facility for adjusting its action, or altogether putting 

 an end to it, without altering either buckle or strap, or 

 even halting the horse if in motioa 



As a general rule, when a horse has been once pro- 

 perly broken in and bitted, it should not require any 

 contrivances of the sort : its use being continued after 

 a certain period is an evidence of something being 

 wrong. Sometimes this is incapable of remedy, being 

 a consequence of some peculiarity in the animal's 

 build, and then there is no help for it ; but a good 

 running-rein, possessing the qualities mentioned above, 

 affords very frequently most valuable aid in the first 

 handling, and will, if judiciously used, save the rider 

 a great deal of trouble, the horse an equal quantity of 

 ill usage, and, finally, simplify all questions of bits and 

 bitting in a wonderful manner. 



The best of all these contrivances hitherto invented 

 is perhaps that known under the name of Seeger's 

 running-reins (Schleif-Ziigel), being perfectly simple, 

 safe, and applicable to all styles of riding. M. Seeger, 

 the justly celebrated riding-master at Berlin, and un- 

 doubtedly at the head of his profession in Europe, first 

 brought it forward. It consists of three distinct pieces, 

 the chin-strap, the running-rein, and the martingal. 

 The chin-strap consists of a leather curb furnished at 

 each end with a small buckle and strap, by means of 

 which it is attached to the cheek-rings of the snaffle 

 or bridoon, the entire length, including the buckles, to 

 be 6 inches ; these latter, when covered with leather, 

 just wide enough to admit a strap 4iV inches wide, 

 and 2 J long, projecting over the buckle, hehind widch 

 it is sewed on to the body of the curb. This curb 



