80 HOESES AND EIDINa. 



buckling round the horse's nose. The only effect of 

 this when used by itself is to prevent the horse from 

 opening his mouth, but it is generally used in con- 

 nection with another strap which passes between 

 the horse's fore legs and ends in a loop, through 

 which the girths are passed. The object of this strap 

 and the noseband combined is to prevent the horse 

 from putting up his nose too high or throwing his 

 head up and down. It is then called a cavesson. A 

 cavesson is sometimes formed by attaching the strap 

 to the bit instead of the noseband, but this I do not 

 consider a good plan. The simplest and best form 

 of cavesson, in my opinion, is to have a short piece of 

 strap with one end looped on to the noseband, and 

 the other end buckled to the ring of the ordinary 

 breastplate, which I shall describe presently. By 

 adopting this plan nothing is required except one 

 short strap, if you have a bridle with a noseband, 

 and a breastplate, which is a thing that is almost 

 always required in a stable ; and the cavesson is easity 

 let out or taken up. 



Besides the cavesson there is the martingale, 

 which is much more commonly used. This consists 

 simply of two narrow short straps with a ring sewn 

 to one end of each strap, and the other ends joined 

 together and forming a broader one, on which is 

 sewn a buckle, so that the end of the broad strap 

 will X)ass through any thing and then fasten to the 

 buckle. (Fig. 15.) 



