ON HARNESSING. 197 



keep him straight. When a horse carries his head out- 

 rageously high, means should be taken to prevent it, as 

 he cannot see his road or work so well. With a wheeler, 

 what is called a bit-martingal is had recourse to. It is 

 fastened to the ring in the throat-hasp of the hames, and 

 branches off to the checks of the bit. With leaders the 

 remedy is a cavison martingal, as there is no ring in their 

 throat-hasp to buckle it to. 



The draught-rein is next to be noticed. This may be 

 called the fellow rein to the coupling-rein ; though in fact 

 the coupling-rein is attached to it. The length of the 

 draught-rein should be to a nicety, as your power over your 

 horses in a straight pull depends upon it. The billet 

 from it passes outside each horse's neck, through the ring 

 on the hames, to the cheek, or to the bit, as your horse's 

 mouth requires. The buckles of the coupling-reins 

 should be nearly over the buckles of the crupper, or 

 about eight inches from the setting on of the tails. The 

 bearing-rein is a great support to a coach horse, and the 

 proof of it is, that if he fall down, either the bearing-rein 

 or the crupper is certain to break. It is impossible, 

 however, to answer your correspondent's question 

 generally, as to whether a coach horse should be beared 

 up tight or not. This must depend upon his mouth. 

 The use of a bearing-rein is to bring your horse's head 

 into the place where you wish it to be, so as to pull him 

 together. To attain this object, as in riding him, no 

 greater force should be used than is necessary. His 

 being beared up tight or not must, therefore, depend on 

 circumstances. If he be a stiff-necked, low-shouldered 



