The Austrian Martingalr. 571 



Indeed, there are many hacks and ladies' horses that have been ridden several years 

 without being properly taught their lessons on sights and sounds. They take fright when, 

 after a drop-leap, a hat dangles from the rider's button-hole, because they have not had a 

 drum lesson. They obstinately refuse to allow a field-officer, 



"All scarlet and plumed in his martial array," 



to approach a lady on horseback, and they become restive, or even runaways, on coming 

 across a hissing railway train. 



But if a young horse is of the stamp and quality of which the most expensive class of 

 park hacks and ladies' horses are manufactured, he will require, in addition to the three "R's" 

 of equine education, finishing lessons by a real master of the art ol equitation — lessons by 

 which originally fine action and carriage are perfected. 



P'or this purpose, to a novice, written instructions would be worse than useless. 



The severe discipline to which cavalry horses, which are parts of one vast machine, in- 

 tended to move in perfect harmony, are subjected is not requisite with hacks or other riding 

 horses, but in order that they may carry their riders pleasantly they ought, the moment they 

 pass from the mere colt-breaker — the elementary teacher of the three equine " R's " — to be 

 placed under some one who has the inestimable natural gift of hands cultivated by a long 

 course of practice. At horse shows one continually sees magnificent animals passed over by 

 judges, and rejected by purchasers, because they have neither been taught to stand or to 

 move as they ought ; sacrificed to false economy and the heavy single hand of some hard- 

 riding clown, whose only recommendation was that he could ride anything over any country. 



Appropriate bridles and bits are an important part of the machinery of refined training. 



The right principles of bitting have been explained in a previous chapter, and woodcuts of 

 the bits in ordinary use given. 



For the first stage of bitting Major Dwyer recommends the use of the training halter, 

 which have been used for some years in the central school of equitation at Vienna. The 

 advantage of it is that, by preventing a young horse from escaping the action of a light 

 snaffle, it renders the use of a sharp bit unnecessary. In this halter the noseband hangs 

 below the rings of the snaffle, and is strapped in the " chin-groove " like a curb-chain, leaving 

 sufficient play for the horse's under jaw. This arrangement affords the best means of mouthing 

 young horses. (See illustration, page 563.) 



One of the best curb-bits for training a young horse to the use of the double bridle is 

 Major Dwyer's. It will be found sufficiently powerful, without being irritating, for all 

 horses whose mouths have not already been spoiled by rough usage. 



SEEGER'S AUSTRIAN MARTINGALE. 



It is often necessary in training a colt to use some kind of martingale in order to get his 

 head into the right position. The best is Seeger's rum inj-rein. 



" Seeger's running-rein consists of three distinct pieces — the chin strap, the running rein, 

 and the martingale. The chin strap consists of a leather strap furnished at each end with a 

 small buckle and strap, by means of which it is attached to the cheek rings of the snaffle, the 

 entire length including the buckles being six inches. These buckles covered with leather are 

 just wide enough to admit a strap four and one-tenth inches wide projecting over the buckle, 

 behind which it is sewn on to the body of the curb. To this curb is attached by a rounded 



