92 THEORY OF MOUTHING. 



learned to bend his head to the rein, as we may see by the 

 fact of the martingale being loose. 



As I have made the foregoing observations entirely 

 from a breaking point of view, I need hardly say that 

 we should teach our pupil to carry himself so well, that 

 on leaving our hands he would not require a martingale of 

 any kind. 



BEARING REINS, RUNNING REINS, SIDE REINS, AND NOSE- 

 BANDS. 



With a horse which keeps his head too low down, a 

 bearing rein which makes him hold his head up to the 

 required height, without interfering with his mouth (see 

 page 173), is often of great help with the long reins. When 

 using them and when driving a horse in harness, I have 

 found no benefit from running reins or side reins, especially 

 when the pull they exert on the bars of the mouth is, as is 

 usually the case, below the centre of motion of the neck 

 (see page 80). The benefit of a noseband is to prevent a 

 horse " giving " to the pull of the reins only with the lower 

 jaw ; instead of also yielding with the joints of the neck 

 and with the joint which connects the head with the neck. 



" TYING HORSES UP," " REINING," DUMB JOCKEYS, AND 

 THE PILLARS. 



Horses are frequently " mouthed " (" reined " or " tied 

 up ") by having their heads more or less drawn in by reins 

 which are attached to a dumb jockey or roller, and 'by 

 being kept thus confined for a certain period of time in 

 the stable, or while they are being led about at exercise. 

 I consider this system objectionable ; because only the head 

 and neck are acted upon, and no provision is made, as there 

 ought to be, for'^bending the other end of the body (see 



