32 RIDING AKD TRAIi^ING SADDLE-HORSES. 



ordinary snaffle-bridle, with a single pair of reins, with 

 the check-pieces drawn short enough to cause the bit to 

 touch lightly in the corners of the mouth. There is at- 

 tached to it, by two straps buckled one into each check- 

 piece, a nose-band, or strap, which passes around the 

 nose quite below the bit, but high enough to take its 

 bearing on the bone rather than on the cartilage of the 

 nose. This strap is drawn tight enough to prevent the 

 horse from opening his mouth to any considerable width. 

 There is no way in which a colt does more to make him- 

 self insensible to the action of the bridle than by stretch- 

 ing open his jaw and bearing against the bit. From the 

 position of this nose-band, it is entirely out of the way 

 of both bridle and bit ; and as the mouth is not entirely 

 bound together by it, it can in no way interfere with 

 proper control by the rider. It simply prevents the 

 horse from resorting to a very common means of defence. 

 Another apparatus described must be very useful not 

 only in training, but in the management of all horses 

 who have the trick of carrying their heads so high as to 

 cause the bit, when pulled upon, to ride up into the cor- 

 ners of their mouths instead of bearing, as it should do, 

 against the lower jaw. It should be equally valuable in 

 preventing an animal from tossing his head in a fitful 

 way, as many horses do. It is at the same time entirely 

 free from the grave objections that hold against all forms 

 of martingales, having nothing Avhatever to do with the 

 reins, and subjecting the horse to no constraint so long 

 as he carries his head in the proper position. It is called 

 a " running-rein," and is shown in figure 10. A short 

 strap, d, about six inches long, with a buckle at each end. 



