6o 



BITS AND BRIDLE GEAR. 



The only advantage, apart from appearance, of having the 

 reins sewn instead of buckled on to the bit, is that it dispenses 

 with the necessity of having stops on the reins which pass 

 through the rings of a running martingale. Stops are pieces 

 of leather which are placed on reins that are buckled to the bit 



Fig. 73. Stop to prevent Ring of Martingale catching on Buckle of Rein. 



Fig. 74. Ring of Martingale caught on Buckle of Rein. 



and used with a martingale, so as to prevent the rings of the 

 martingale from catching on the buckles (Fig. 73), as they 

 might do, were the stops absent (Fig. 74). Stops are 

 generally made by sewing together two pieces of leather of the 

 required shape, and leaving between them a space through 



