^] 



THE DEVELOPMENT OF EQUITATION 



495 



reins must have been either suspended from the yoke or 

 attached to it by strings. The two Y-shaped objects were 

 probably suspended from the yoke, much as they are at present 

 (Fig. 69), and through them the reins were passed and kept in 

 their place. 



The more elaborate bronze objects found in Ireland probably 

 served a like purpose, for as already argued they must certainly 



Fig. 139. Ancient Irish Eein-ring (aZ^dua?) ? 



have hung down. This view can be supported from the oldest 

 Irish texts — in these the name for reins is all : thus Laeghaire 

 Buadach's chariot "had two pliable beautiful alls," and it had 

 likewise "two rich yellow all-dualach," literally, "two rich 

 yellow rein-loops," or " rein-rings." Dr Sullivan thought that 

 these rings were on a straddle, but as it is very unlikely 

 that the Irish chariot-horses wore straddles, it is far more 



