SUMMEllING .^ CONDITIONING OF HUNTERS 87 



If a horse is in the least inclined to carry his head 

 higher than he should, put a running martingale 

 on him. If put on him properly there is no possible 

 objection to it, and there is the very gravest objec- 

 tion to a horse going at a fence with his head 

 in the air. It should be fitted so that the 



Martingale 



rmg comes well up to the throttle when 

 the horse carries his head in the natural position. 

 These rings should be made square to avoid any 

 danger of their slipping over the rings 

 on the bit. People are very dogmatic 

 about the martingale being attached to 

 the bit reins. This is undoubtedly best, 

 if the horse will allow it to be done ; but 

 some animals will not go kindly with any restraint 

 on the rein of the bit, and will go on fighting until 

 it is removed. It is much better, in a case of this 

 kind, to place the martingale on the bridoon reins. 

 I do not like riding a horse over a country with 

 a standing martingale on. I have seen it done 

 more than once, some horsemen maintaining that 

 it only acts when a horse's head gets into an 

 improper position, and that therefore there can be 

 no danger in it ; but I think there are times when a 

 horse has made a mistake, and is struggling to 

 recover himself, when he wants his head perfectly 

 free, which you can give him with a running, but 

 not with a standing, martingale. 



