90 THEORY OF MOUTHING. 



martingale by holding his head high, he will be all the 

 more inclined to " bend " to the rein, even when there is no 

 martingale on. When we wish to give full freedom to the 

 head for all legitimate purposes, short of its being carried 

 so high as to act as a " defence," we may lengthen out this 

 martingale to such an extent that it will only just prevent 

 the horse from being able to shift the mouthpiece of the 

 snaffle off the bars and on to the corners of the mouth (see 

 Fig. 9). If we want to get more power over him, we 

 may shorten it within this limit as may be required. The 

 correct principle of punishment and reward in the education 

 of the horse is admirably illustrated by the use of the 

 standing martingale ; for, with it, pain continues as long as 

 the defence ; but ceases the moment the animal yields. 

 This useful experience is not afforded by the application of 

 the running martingale ; for with it no saving of the mouth 

 is obtained by any yielding of the head and neck to the 

 rein. When the running martingale is on, whatever relief 

 is procured must be the result of the action of the rider's 

 hands, which, however good they may be, cannot give the 

 reward (and consequently cannot aid in the desired associa- 

 tion of ideas) with the quickness and precision of the auto- 

 matically acting standing martingale, the exact length of 

 which is rigidly fixed. Its use undoubtedly diminishes the 

 difficulties of breaking by at least one half. It is easy to 

 improvise a standing martingale with a piece of rope. 



If the standing martingale be connected with the nose- 

 band, as is often done, it will fail to act in the manner 

 described, owing to the fact that the pressure thus exerted 

 on the nose causes little or no pain ; unless, indeed, it be 

 arranged in the way described on page 308. When, how- 

 ever, the too long continued use of a standing martingale 

 attached to the snaffle causes the corners of the mouth to 

 become sore, as may happen with horses which carry their 



