THE STANDING MARTINGALE. 73 



uncoUectedly. Objection to its use can be taken, 

 only, in the case of the 'cross-country horse, who 

 will be much more liable to be brought to grief by 

 the practice of either of the faults just mentioned, 

 than by this martingale. When he has learnt to 

 carry himself properly, but not till then, should its 

 employment be discontinued. Its constant use 

 quickly teaches the horse to hold his head and 

 to carry himself in the desired style ; for obedience 

 to the indications it automatically affords, is at once 

 rewarded by relief to the mouth. No such useful 

 lesson can be learned by the employment of the 

 running martingale ; for, with it, no saving of the 

 mouth is obtained by any yielding of the head and 

 neck to the rein. When it is on, whatever relief 

 is procured, must be the result of the action of 

 the rider's hands, which cannot possibly " give 

 and take" with the same precision as the fixed 

 martingale. I may mention, that this gear has 

 the great advantage of preventing a rider with 

 ''bad hands," from hauling on the reins when 



