170 BREAKING ON FOOT. 



81) has a nose-band which comes under the lower jaw, 

 in the chin-groove, below the mouthpiece of the snaffle, 

 and is connected to the bearing-rein by a strap running 

 down the centre of the face. The bearing-rein can be 

 fixed to the driving-pad or saddle. This form of bearing- 

 rein keeps the head up by acting on the chin-groove, the 

 bony surface of which is smooth and rounded. As it in 

 no way interferes with the mouth, it is much superior 

 to the ordinary kind, which raises the head by pressing on 

 the corners of the mouth. As a substitute for a bearing- 

 rein, we may employ an ordinary pair of riding reins put 

 over the driving-pad. 



NOTE. It is important that the horse does not hold 

 the bit with a rigid jaw, or put his tongue out over it, 

 for if he continues to pull on one of the gentlest of snaffles, 

 he will harden his mouth. Therefore, if the above- 

 mentioned snaffle does not suit a particular pupil, change 

 it at once, and try one of the common thick breaking 

 snaffles. Some colts which pull on a straight, unjointed 

 snaffle, will play lightly with a jointed one, and vice versa. 



The standing martingale is attached to the rings of the 

 snaffle and to the girth of the driving-pad, and is lengthened 

 out as much as is compatible with its preventing the animal 

 from getting the snaffle off the bars of the lower jaw, and 

 on to the corners of the mouth (see page 87, and Fig. 9). 

 I like the reins to be about twenty-two feet long, and made 

 of one and a half inch " circular " (or " pipe ") webbing. I 

 have them buckled on the rings of the snaffle, and separate 

 from each other ; so that, if the horse tries to bolt away 

 when being driven on foot, he can be pulled round and 

 held fast, by letting go one rein and holding the other 

 tight. With an ordinary snaffle, we may employ leather 

 guards similar to those used by London cabmen, in order 



