90 



MODERN HORSE MANAGEMENT 



[chap. VII 



right angle. Unless this angle is from 30° to 

 45° (preferably the latter) the best results cannot 

 be obtained from the curb. 



The curb chain must be several links longer 

 than required, else it will be difficult to hook it 

 on properly ; it is always twisted as a right- 

 hand screw is turned (Sec. 286). 



It stands to reason that if a curb chain is too 

 short the action of the bit will be too strong, 

 and not gradual enough. If, however, it is so 

 long as to allow the cheek-pieces to turn nearly 

 at right angles to their original position, the use 

 of the curb is lost, because the rein is pulling 

 against the bars of the mouth in the same way 

 as if they were attached to a snaffle bit. The 

 feeling that good hands has upon the reins is 

 a continuous and playful feeling, but if it is 

 required to stop the horse this feeling is gradual, 

 then stronger, until it ends in a distinct oppo- 

 sition, the whole lasting but for a few seconds, 

 when the horse's mouth is eased again, and the 

 feeling repeated. To the casual observer these 

 motions of the bridle hand would not be 

 discernible. 



354. Martingales.— A. horse which is con- 

 tinually throwing up his head or which carries 

 his head too high, so that the bit remains in the 

 corner of the mouth instead of on the bars, may 

 require to be ridden for a while in a standing 

 martingale. This fault is often the result of bad 

 handling, and, therefore, can only be cured by 

 careful handling. The martingale is attached to 

 the back of the noseband, and must be tight 

 enough to catch the horse's nose whenever he 

 throws his head to about a horizontal position 

 or perhaps a little lower, but should never be so 

 tight as to keep his head down ; such will ruin 

 the horse and make him far worse when his 

 head is left free. By having it as described 

 above, whenever the horse throws his head up 

 he will catch his nose, which will cause him a 

 slight amount of pain, and he will soon know 

 that he has to keep his head down. Standing 

 martingales are not advisable for hunting, nor 

 for jumping anything but low jumps ; even then 

 they must be quite loose. 



355. Another type of martingale is the run- 

 ning martingale, which I do not recommend for 

 horses as a rule. When used, leather stops must 

 be placed on the reins, so as to prevent the rings 

 of the martingale from catching on the buckles 

 of the reins, which might throw the horse down. 



The objection to the running martingale is that, 

 as the pull is coming from below, it tends to 

 make the horse try to hold his head higher, as 

 he will naturally pull against the reins. When 

 jumping a horse that gets his head very high, a 

 running martingale is generally necessary. 

 They are of great use for horses that are liable 

 to rear, but the martingale should not be used 

 tightly. The best kind of bridle to use with 

 this type of martingale is the double-reined 

 snaffle, so that only one of the reins is attached 

 to the martingale ; the other, which is free, is 

 used for riding, except when the martingale is 

 required. A third type is a fixed one that is 

 attached to the rings of the bit. This is most 

 dangerous, and I do not see how it can do any 

 good, except to throw the horse on his nose. 



356. Cold Bits. — I wish here to emphasise 

 the great cruelty commonly practised in thrust- 

 ing cold, or even freezing, bits into a horse's 

 mouth. This is common in the Canadian west 

 in winter. Such cruelty should be practised on 

 those who practise it upon their horses. I well 

 recollect a constable of the Royal North-West 

 Mounted Police punishing a cruel lad in this 

 way for having thrust a cold bit into his horse's 

 mouth. He asked the lad to lick a piece of cold 

 steel, which he did, and was greatly surprised 

 when he found the metal firmly stuck to his 

 tongue. The shock was so great that he dropped 

 the metal, which tore the skin from his tongue. 

 He learnt a lesson. Bits should be kept at night 

 in the stable, unless the stable is very cold, when 

 they should be kept in the house. 



If they are kept in a cold place, they must 

 be warmed by being held for a few minutes in 

 the hand or before a fire, and then put in the 

 horse's mouth. A very cold bit may tear off 

 large pieces of skin from the horse's tongue or 

 lips. This is done by the cold steel suddenly 

 freezing the moisture on the surface of the skin, 

 the ice acting as a cement and securely sticking 

 the skin to the cold metal. 



357. The cleaning of harness, etc., was 

 described in Chapter VI., Sees. 292-3. The white 

 buff leather brow-bands, so commonly used on 

 bridles (P. 14c, lib), must be kept quite soft in 

 order that they will not rub the horse's ears 

 when he moves them. This can easily be 

 accomplished by bending the brow-bands back- 

 wards and forwards, after they have been pipe- 

 clayed and dried, until they become quite pliable. 



